Dermatology - protected term?
July 23, 2009 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Dr. Dr. Danjel-Philippe Newerla
I would like to find out if the term "Dermatology" is protected in Germany and can only be used exclusively by doctors.
Specifically, I studied Chinese Dermatology in England at a private institute for Chinese medicine (not an official university) in my capacity as a naturopath, and now I would like to use this term, "Chinese Dermatology," on my website, business cards, etc.
I was told by the public health officer that this term (Dermatology) can only be used by doctors, not by naturopaths. I find this questionable, especially since Dermatology also plays a role in naturopathic training and can be asked in the public health officer exam for naturopaths. Furthermore, I only want to use the term in conjunction with the term "Chinese" for differentiation.
I kindly request a response with reference to relevant sources, laws, decisions, etc.
Thank you.
Dear seeker of advice,
Thank you for your inquiry!
I would like to address your questions taking into consideration your input and the details you have provided as follows:
The term "Dermatologist" is a protected professional title that can only be used by a medical doctor.
Dermatology, on the other hand, is a medical specialty or a derived Greek term that can also be used by naturopaths, provided that they are active in this field.
Therefore, if you have been trained in the field of Chinese Dermatology in England, you can mention this as well. You should include a note in the imprint stating that the training took place in England and where exactly it was held.
Otherwise, I see no issues with your plans. There is no need for legal disclaimers, as there is no law prohibiting a naturopath who is active in dermatology and has the proven qualification from advertising or presenting themselves as such.
There is even dermatological literature for naturopaths (such as the book "Dermatology for Naturopaths and Allied Health Professionals" by Beate Rossbach from Sonntag Verlag), which further indicates that there should be no issues, as the relevant publishers would have been warned by medical associations long ago.
I would like to point out the following:
The legal advice I have provided is based solely on the information you have provided. My response is only an initial legal assessment of the situation and cannot replace a comprehensive examination of the circumstances. Adding or omitting relevant information can lead to a completely different legal assessment.
I hope that my explanations have been helpful. Feel free to reach out to me through the follow-up option on this platform or via my email address.
I wish you a pleasant Thursday evening!
Kind regards,
Dipl.-Jur. Danjel-Philippe Newerla, Attorney
Heilsbergerstr. 16
27580 Bremerhaven
kanzlei.newerla@web.de
Tel. 0471/3088132
Fax: 0471/3088316
