Osteópatafélag Íslands
The name of our organisation is The Icelandic Osteopathic Organisation (in our native language, “Osteópatafélag Íslands”). There are currently (October 2018) 6 osteopaths working in Iceland and quite few more studying to become osteopaths. Icelanders need to get their osteopathic education abroad as there are no osteopathic schools in Iceland.
Osteopathy is fully recognised by the Icelandic government as a health profession and the title osteopath (in Icelandic “osteópati”) is a protected title. Osteopathy gained its regulatory status in February 2005 (directive 229/2005, later changed to 1131/2012). The former directive stated that patients had to be referred by doctors to osteopaths that was never enforced, the later directive removed this clause.
The first Icelandic osteopath to graduate was Þórunn Björnsdóttir Bacon which graduated in 1995 and moved to Iceland the same year. But do to fate she had to move to England in 1996, leaving Iceland without osteopathy. The second Icelandic osteopath to graduate and move to Iceland was in 2001 and since then Iceland has had osteopaths working in the country.
Contact person:
Haraldur Magnússon osteopath B.Sc (hons)
President of the Icelandic Osteopathic Association