26-28 February: Consultation on the WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Osteopathy

On 26-28 February 2007, the World Health Organisation convened a 'panel of experts' to undertake the Consultation on the WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Osteopathy at the State University of Milan, Italy. This was the final phase of a consultation process that has extended over the past three years. During the three-day meeting those in attendance reviewed every line of the Guidelines and debated the many different aspects and potential functions of the document. The meeting endorsed and supported the two models of the osteopathic profession that are explicit throughout the document. During the final session the participants voted to adopt the Guidelines as amended at the meeting and to formally recommend them to the WHO, which plans to publish the document in late 2007.

The OIA would like to thank all the representatives of osteopathic organisations from around the world that, over the past two years, have provided comments on the Guidelines through the OIA. We would also like to congratulate the Consultation attendees who worked together to complete the Guidelines for dissemination to health officials around the world. The meeting was notable for the way in which participants combined a strong commitment to excellence, a willingness to address and resolve complex issues, while at the same time maintaining a positive, collegial and mutually courteous and respectful ambiance.

The participants also took the time, individually, to voice their unanimous support for the Guidelines and to pledge that they will support the recognition of the document and the osteopathic profession in their individual countries.

Participants:
Dr Peter B Ajluni, American Osteopathic Association
Mr Peter Arhin, Ministry of Health, Ghana
Dr Iracema de Almeida Benevides, Ministry of Health of Brazil
Dr Boyd Buser, American Osteopathic Association and Osteopathic International Alliance, Co-Recorder
Dr Jane Carreiro, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, primary author of the Osteopathic Guidelines, Co-Recorder
Mr Etienne Cloet, Sutherland College
Dr Saverio Colonna, Association of Osteopathic Physicians, Italy
Ms Madeleine Craggs, General Osteopathic Council, United Kingdom
Mr John Crosby, American Osteopathic Association and Osteopathic International Alliance
Mr Vince Cullen, General Osteopathic Council, United Kingdom
Dr Kilian Dräger, German Physicians Society for Osteopathy
Mr Raimund Engel, Forum for Osteopathic Regulation in Europe
Prof Ferruccio Ferrario, State University of Milan, Italy
Mr Armand Gersanois, European Federation of Osteopaths, France
Dr Lèon Ranaivo-Harimanana, Clinical Trial Department in CNARP, Madagascar
Dr Mona Hejres, Office of Licensure and Registration, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Bahrain
Mr Augusto Henriques, Official Portuguese Inter-Ministerial Commission to Study and Propose the Regulation of Osteopathy
Dr Kenneth Johnson, American Academy of Osteopathy
Dr John Licciardone, Osteopathic Research Centre, United States of America
Mr Alfonso Mandara, High Institute of Osteopathy, Italy
Ms Linda Mascheri, American Osteopathic Association
Prof Emilio Minelli, State University of Milan, Italy
Dr Dmitry Mokhov, Register of Osteopaths of Russia
Ms Marianne Montmartin, Registre des Ostèopathes de France
Dr Mahmoud Mosaddegh, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Republic of Iran
Mr Michael Mulholland-Licht, World Osteopathic Health Organisation
Mr Ray Myers, RMIT University, Australia, Co-Chair
Prof Reza Nassiri, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, United States of America
Dr Susanne Nordling, Nordic Co-operation Committee for Non-conventional Medicine, Norway, Co-Chair
Dr Vegard Nore, Norwegian Department for Community Health Services
Ms Emma-Jane Roberts, South Africa
Prof Umberto Solimene, State University of Milan, Italy
Mr Clive Standen, Unitec New Zealand and Osteopathic International Alliance
Dr Olga Steggerda, Russian Register of Osteopaths
Mr Philippe Sterlingot, Syndicate Francais des Ostèopathes
Dr Yong-Jin Wang, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Mr Michael Watson, British Osteopathic Association
Dr Ingunn Backe Wennberg, Norsk Osteopat Forbund, Norway
Dr Monica Wong Man-ha, Medical and Health Officer, People's Republic of China

Observers:
Mr Anthony Metcalfe, World Federation of Chiropractic
Mr Yannick Pauli, World Chiropractic Alliance

Local Secretariat:
Mr Simon Duncan, European Osteopathic Union

WHO Secretariat:
Dr Xiaorui Zhang, Department of Technical Cooperation for Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicine, World Health Organisation
Dr Samvel Azatyan, Department of Technical Cooperation for Essential Drugs and Traditional Medicine, World Health Organisation