A medical act reserved for physicians, midwives and dental surgeons in France: how to check before your first session.
By Dr Alexandre Fleury · Physician acupuncturist · ~3 min read · Updated October 2026
The word “acupuncturist” is very widely used, and it is legitimate to ask who is actually qualified to insert needles. Here is what is useful to know, in a few simple questions. This article describes the legal situation in France, where the practice of acupuncture is regulated by French law; rules differ in other countries.
Inserting a needle means going through the skin. That requires being able to make a diagnosis, recognise situations where acupuncture is not appropriate or not sufficient on its own (contraindications, warning signs), adapt the technique to each person, and follow strict hygiene rules, given rare but real risks: infection, fainting, bruising and, exceptionally, injury to an organ beneath the point. This is why acupuncture is considered a medical act in France.
In France, acupuncture is reserved for three healthcare professions: physicians, midwives and dental surgeons. Midwives and dental surgeons practise it within their own scope of competence — pregnancy and childbirth for the former, the oral and dental sphere for the latter. A physician may use it across the full range of situations within their competence.
Outside these professions, practising acupuncture constitutes, under French law, the illegal practice of medicine.
The right to practise comes from a healthcare qualification, but acupuncture is learned in addition, through specific training. For physicians, this generally means a university or inter-university diploma in acupuncture (DU/DIU) at a medical faculty, followed by a “capacité” qualification, also awarded by a medical faculty. As for me, I am a physician, trained in acupuncture through a DIU in Paris, a DIU in Bordeaux and my capacité in Nantes, and I have recently begun teaching on the university diploma in medical acupuncture at the University of Bordeaux.
Physicians, midwives and dental surgeons are registered with their professional Order and appear in the French health insurance directory (ameli.fr), which shows their profession and place of practice. Don’t hesitate to ask a practitioner about their basic qualification and their training in acupuncture: it is a perfectly normal question, and I am always happy to answer it.
Key points
This article is for informational and educational purposes. It does not replace a medical consultation and is not personalised advice.
