The recognition of osteopathic manipulative medicine in Europe: Critically important or significantly overrated?

Introduction Emerging evidence in osteopathic practice contributes to critically consider its effectiveness and its role in health care. Despite the large use of osteopathic manipulative treatment, few rigorous studies have been published that have shed light on the clinical role of osteopathy. Highquality research is a key step to be achieved to produce evidence and to start to introduce osteopathy within any healthcare system. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the scientific validity of osteopathic manipulative medicine critically considering the quality of the research published, costeffectiveness and patients’ attitude as relevant aspects for a potential process of recognition. Conclusion The immobility of the governments is leading patients to not have a clear idea and choice of the possible ‘new’ strategies of health care available and a slowing down of the already demonstrated potentialities of osteopathic medicine. Therefore, at this point, a step further in the process of recognition in Europe is needed and it is critically important for the improvement of the quality of the service in the national healthcare systems.