A naturopath who recommends a dietary supplement while attributing a healing property to a product is subject to control by the DGCCRF and may face sanctions. A sophrologist who forgets to mention their fees on their website commits an infringement of consumer information. These situations are not theoretical: investigations by the DGCCRF have found anomalies among a large majority of professionals checked in the sector of unconventional practices and wellness coaching.
For practitioners in natural health and wellness, technical competence is no longer enough. The regulatory framework, compliant communication, and daily management of the activity require precise guidelines.
Health Claims and Dietary Supplements: The Red Line Not to Cross
When recommending a plant or dietary supplement to a client, there is a strong temptation to explain its effects in medical terms. However, European Regulation (EC) No. 1924/2006 sets a strict framework: no claims of prevention, treatment, or cure of a disease are allowed for dietary supplements. Only claims listed on the authorized European list can be used.
In practice, this means that one can say a supplement “contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system” if the claim is validated for the ingredient in question. One cannot say it “cures a cold” or “prevents the flu.” The distinction may seem subtle, but it is precisely what DGCCRF checks.
Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 (Article 7) complements this system by prohibiting any misleading information about foodstuffs, including supplements. A practitioner who publishes client testimonials attributing a cure to a product on their social media or website may find themselves in violation, even without direct commercial intent. There is information on santeradieuse.org detailing the specific obligations for different sectors of natural health.
Law of May 10, 2024: Abandonment of Conventional Care and Criminal Liability
Law No. 2024-420 of May 10, 2024, created Article 223-1-2 of the Penal Code. This text directly targets situations where a practitioner, regardless of their title, encourages a person to abandon conventional medical treatment. The criminal liability of the practitioner is engaged if this encouragement leads to harm to the client’s health.
For a naturopath, a reflexologist, or a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, the operational consequence is clear: any care must be complementary, never substitutive. Wellness support does not replace a medical diagnosis.
This law changes the game on a specific point. Before 2024, prosecutions primarily involved the illegal practice of medicine. Now, simply encouraging the abandonment of care, even without performing a medical act, constitutes an autonomous offense.
Setting Boundaries with the Client
The best protection remains transparency. Systematically reminding the client that the proposed support does not replace medical follow-up, and formalizing it in writing (commitment charter, informed consent form), constitutes both an ethical obligation and legal coverage.
DGCCRF and CNIL Controls: Preparing Daily Activity
Controls do not only focus on health claims. DGCCRF investigations also examine displayed qualifications, pricing transparency, and commercial promises. The most frequent anomalies concern:
- The absence of mandatory mentions on the website (identity, fees, general conditions of sale for products)
- Titles or certifications presented ambiguously, leading to the belief in non-existent official recognition
- Testimonials or results highlighted without verifiable basis, which constitutes misleading commercial practice
CNIL compliance is an often-overlooked aspect by wellness practitioners. As soon as personal data is collected (online forms, client files, consultation history), GDPR applies. A client file containing information about health status constitutes the processing of sensitive data, subject to enhanced obligations.
Vitamin Injections and Infusions: A Clear Professional Boundary
Vitamin therapy through injection or infusion is visibly gaining popularity on social media. For a non-medical natural health practitioner, the rule is unambiguous: injections and infusions are care acts reserved for authorized health professionals (doctors, nurses under prescription).
Offering this type of service without medical qualification exposes one to prosecution for the illegal practice of medicine. Feedback varies on local tolerance of these practices, but the legal framework is uniform across the territory.
Advising dietary supplements in oral form (capsules, drinkable ampoules, powders) remains within the scope of a naturopath or nutrition advisor, provided the aforementioned claim rules are respected.
Professional Liability Insurance and Clear Positioning of Activity
Professional liability insurance tailored to the actual practice is the foundation of any natural health activity. The most common problem is not the absence of insurance, but the gap between the coverage subscribed and the acts actually performed.
- Check that the contract explicitly covers the discipline practiced (naturopathy, sophrology, reflexology, etc.) and not just a generic “wellness” category
- Ensure that advice on dietary supplements is included in the covered scope
- Review exclusions related to manual practices or specific techniques (some policies exclude spinal manipulations or lymphatic drainage)
A poorly calibrated professional liability contract can leave the practitioner without coverage in the event of a dispute, even with an up-to-date premium. Annual review of the contract, alongside the evolution of one’s practice, avoids this deadlock.
The natural health sector is professionalizing, and this professionalization relies less on the accumulation of certifications than on mastering the framework within which one operates. A practitioner who knows their regulatory limits inspires more confidence than one who makes multiple promises.
