Liechtenstein
(ref 1)
Summary
In Liechtenstein anybody may treat but law restricts the scope of their activities. Chiropractics is regulated.
Professionals and non-professionals
Legally regulated personnel
The Health Law of 1985 regulates the health care professions. Only authorised / licensed medical professionals are allowed to carry out what law defines as medical acts. Law does not regulate the practise of CAM, and therefore the physicians are allowed to use the techniques without having to pass a supplementary exam. However the Health Law states "physicians have to practise only in their speciality and according to their knowledge, with the exception of emergency". Chiropractors are considered to be medical professionals (1985).
Anybody may treat-
But some treatments are restricted to legally regulated personnel
Article 184 of the Penal Code, relating to illegal practise of medicine, specifies that “a person, who without having the necessary training for the medicine’s practise, performs medical acts that are legally reserved medical doctors (defined in the Health law), can be punished." According to the Health Law the following acts are not considered as acts of health care professions and may be practised by non-allopathic providers:
- natural medicines,
- i.e. health care which does not consist
- in body’s intrusions,
- in delivery acts,
- in the treatment of infectious diseases and
- in the prescription of medication.
There are few court rulings regarding the enforcement of these articles. Thus, in practise, non-allopathic providers are allowed to practise CAM. They only need a commercial authorisation.
Reimbursement
CAM is not covered by the compulsory Social Insurance but some private insurance covers CAM.
References
1. Reference for the chapter where nothing else is noted: Maddalena S. The legal status of complementary medicines in Europe. Berne: Universitè de Neuchâtel, Stæmpfli Publisher Ltd. 1999. and Office for Public Health, Liechtenstein 13.09.05 and 07.10.05
