On this page, we provide an overview of associations and organizations.
Swiss Association of Osteopaths
The Swiss Association of Osteopaths (SVO-FSO) is the umbrella organization for osteopaths in Switzerland.
It was established in 2005 as a merger of several existing professional associations that aimed to create a unified representation for the osteopathy profession. The SVO-FSO has successfully positioned itself in Switzerland as the main point of contact for osteopathic matters at both the political and administrative levels.
The SVO-FSO today has over 700 members and is an association in accordance with Art. 60ff of the Swiss Civil Code, pursuing the professional goals of this profession in Switzerland.
The SVO is a member of the Osteopathic International Alliance (OIA).
Swiss Physiotherapy Association
Physioswiss is the Swiss professional association for self-employed, employed, and student physiotherapists. It comprises nearly 9,600 members who are organized into 16 cantonal associations.
physioswiss guarantees high-quality physiotherapy services. The association is committed to education and training, research, and ethics.
physioswiss positions itself as a service-oriented professional association for its members, supporting and empowering them throughout their entire career. This commitment promotes the advancement of the physiotherapy profession and ensures autonomy and professionalism in all areas of practice for physiotherapists.
physioswiss also advocates for a needs-based security of supply for the population through physiotherapy, incorporating dimensions of health, education, and financial policy.
Experiential Medical Registry, Switzerland
Since 1999, the EMR has been making a significant contribution to quality assurance in complementary medicine in Switzerland, in collaboration with professional associations, schools, insurers, and other institutions.
Based on a diverse range of defined quality criteria, such as education, practical experience, and continuous professional development, the EMR evaluates therapists practicing experiential medicine.
Only therapists who meet all quality criteria receive the EMR quality label.
In the EMR Public section and under The EMR as well as under Infocorner, you can learn about the EMR quality label and read descriptions of individual therapy methods. Additionally, you have the opportunity to find a suitable therapist using the EMindex.
Swiss Red Cross
The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) is a humanitarian organization known for its guiding principles, extensive experience, wide-ranging impact, and integration into a global movement.
The Swiss Red Cross uniquely combines a diverse range of strengths in health, integration, and rescue services all under one roof like no other organization. The SRC consists of 24 cantonal associations and five rescue organizations, two institutions, as well as the SRC headquarters. The SRC is also responsible for evaluating and recognizing foreign diplomas in health professions.
The SRK is a private association according to the Swiss Civil Code.
FFHS Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences
The Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS) is a recognized university of applied sciences with locations in Brig, Zurich, Bern, Basel, and St. Gallen. For over 25 years, it has offered a flexible blended learning model that is ideally suited to balancing work and family.
With degree programs in business, computer science, engineering, and health, along with practical research, the FFHS blends modern education with digital innovation. As an affiliated school of SUPSI, it contributes to the development of the Swiss educational landscape.
European Fascial Distortion Model Association
The European Fascial Distortion Model Association (EFDMA) is a non-profit organization aimed at promoting research and education in the field of the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) and the Typaldos Method.
The EFDMA sets standards for the dissemination of the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) across Europe and provides healthcare professionals and patients with information about the FDM, its foundations, and their application in treating various conditions. Today, the association boasts nearly 700 members in Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Hungary, and Norway.
The EFDMA board is composed of seven volunteer doctors and therapists who successfully apply the FDM and Typaldos Method in their professional practice.
Swiss Dry Needling Association
The Dry Needling Association Switzerland (DVS) promotes and ensures the quality of dry needling in Switzerland. It offers certified training and examinations for professionals, guaranteeing that the application of this technique meets the highest standards. Furthermore, the DVS maintains an exchange with national and international organizations with similar goals.
Dry Needling is a therapy that uses sterile single-use acupuncture needles to treat myofascial pain and dysfunction. In 2011, the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Public Health (GDK) recognized this technique as a physiotherapeutic measure. The DVS offers an exam to obtain the title 'Dry Needling Therapist DVS®,' which aligns with the current GDK recommendations.
The Association of Academic Osteopaths
The Association of Academic Osteopaths Switzerland (VaOS) is the professional body for academically trained osteopaths and students at universities of applied sciences. It advocates for the recognition, quality assurance, and advancement of osteopathy in Switzerland, representing the interests of its members to authorities and the public.
VaOS offers its members access to a scientific advisory board, a job exchange, and up-to-date information on the regulation of osteopathy in Switzerland. The association promotes professional exchange and supports the integration of osteopathy into the healthcare system. More information is available on the official website.