International Osteopathic Association

01/01/2026

Happy New Year!

10/28/2025

Please join Florida Naprapathic Association. Membership is free and open to all health professionals everywhere!

My sleepless nights are back! Whenever I start a new project I get so energized I can’t even sleep! Right now I’m working to get naprapathy licensed and regulated in Florida. It’s one of the biggest projects I’ve ever taken on — costs about $2 million — and unlike Canada, there’s no personal payout here in the U.S. because the State controls regulation & licensing. But once profession is licensed, I’m confident we’ll have enough students to cover that cost. My schools believe in this and are helping fund it.

What we need from you is simple: show support by joining the Florida Naprapathic Association (FNA). There are two free membership categories right now — professional (for naprapaths everywhere, not just in Florida) and general (for everyone else, anywhere, not just Florida).

Your support gives us the momentum to finish this.

FNA website is being developed. Once ready you can approach them for membership but in the meantime send me an email to pourgol@pourgol.com and say you’d like to join the Florida Naprapathic Association. I will get FNA to send you the application form now.

Naprapathy has a bright future in Florida. I encourage everyone to enroll in the online Doctor of Naprapathy (DN) program offered by National University of Medical Sciences (USA & Spain). The 4-year program can be completed in 1–2 years on an accelerated basis, depending on your prior health education, and graduates will be grandfathered in Florida once regulation occurs.

Tuition is currently about €5,500 per year, but after regulation, it will become a 3-year full-time program with tuition rising to around $25,000 per year in Florida.

To learn more about our DN program please visit www.numss.com for our university in Spain and www.numss.us for the one in US. Thx.

Dr Shawn Pourgol

10/21/2025

Florida Naprapathic Examining Board Established

I’m excited to share that the Florida Naprapathic Examining Board has been created & registered to ensure all naprapaths in Florida meet a minimum standard of knowledge and competency before becoming licensed.

This board will oversee the licensing exams and professional standards for naprapaths — helping guarantee that every doctor of naprapathy (DN) is properly trained and qualified to provide safe, effective care to the public.

An examining board is one of the key requirements for obtaining full state licensure and regulation of naprapathic medicine in Florida. It demonstrates that our profession is organized, accountable, and ready to meet the same expectations as other licensed healthcare fields.

This is a major step toward our ultimate goal — making naprapathic medicine a licensed and regulated profession in Florida.

10/21/2025

Exciting News for Naprapathic Education in Florida!

We are happy to announce registration of the Florida Council on Naprapathic Education (FCNE) — a new governing body established to evaluate and accredit schools offering naprapathic programs in Florida

This is an important step forward in the mission to regulate and secure state licensure for the profession of naprapathic medicine. By setting clear standards and ensuring that all Florida naprapathic schools meet a minimum required level of education and training, FCNE can help protect the public, elevate professional standards, and strengthen the future of naprapathy in Florida.

The establishment of FCNE brings the naprapaths one step closer to achieving full state recognition for naprapathic medicine in Florida — something that will benefit every practitioner, student, and patient.

Together, naprapaths are building the foundation for a strong and respected naprapathic community in Florida.

10/13/2025

I am pleased to announce the registration of the Florida Naprapathic Association (FNA), an organization created to promote public awareness of the benefits of connective tissue therapy and to advance the official state licensure and regulation of naprapaths in Florida.

Our goal is to protect the public, strengthen professional standards, and secure the future of naprapathic medicine in our state.

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD

10/10/2025

$20,000 Donation to the Coalition for Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario

I have always believed in seeing the good in people — and in return, God has blessed me with a good life. A life that allows me to give back and support causes that truly matter to me.

Most manual osteopaths in Ontario are my students, and many of them are deeply committed to advancing the regulation of our profession. My students are like family to me, and today I’m proud to support them by donating $20,000 to the Coalition for the Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario (CRMOO). I have also asked my schools and businesses to contribute to this important cause.

This is not the first time our profession has sought regulation. Previous attempts fell short because they were not inclusive — one group tried to control the process by excluding others. This time, things are different. The Coalition is built on inclusivity and unity. Every manual osteopath, regardless of where they studied, is welcome to join. All practitioners working in Ontario prior to regulation will be grandfathered into the new regulatory college once/if it is established. No one will be left out.

Membership in the Coalition is completely free. You do not need to donate — my contribution, along with support from the National Academy of Osteopathy (NAO), National University of Medical Sciences (NUMSS), and the College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO), will cover all expenses.

All you need to do is join the movement on Facebook by visiting:

👉 www.fb.com/groups/osteopathyregulation

Let’s unite to make manual osteopathy a regulated profession — to protect the public and to honor osteopathy’s deep Indigenous heritage.

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD
Osteopath, Naprapath, Chiropractor & Founder of:
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama)
Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (380 clinics in 34 countries)
World Osteopathy Day

10/08/2025

Osteopathy Regulation in Ontario

I’m happy to share some great news — the Ontario based, College of Registered Manual Osteopaths (CRMO), together with the Coalition for Regulation of Manual Osteopathy in Ontario (CRMOO), has officially started the process of getting manual osteopathy regulated in Ontario.

As many of you know, osteopathy is part of the heritage of Indigenous Peoples. It’s only fitting that Indigenous Peoples lead this effort to protect and preserve that heritage for future generations while protecting people of Ontario.

The College of Registered Manual Osteopaths was founded and is led by Indigenous Peoples. It includes a Council of Elders and is supported by Indigenous Nations and communities across Canada.

Since most manual osteopaths in Ontario are my students, I want to give my full support to this initiative. While osteopathy’s roots belong to Indigenous Peoples, we want this process to be inclusive and open to everyone who practices or studies manual osteopathy.

Here’s what’s been decided by CRMOO so far:
-Free membership:
Any manual osteopath or current student in Canada can join CRMOO free of charge.

-Grandfathering for practitioners:
All practicing manual osteopaths who are members of CRMOO before regulation takes effect will automatically be accepted into the new regulatory college once it’s created.

-Grandfathering for students:
All current and future students of manual osteopathy programs in Canada who join CRMOO before regulation will also be accepted into the new regulatory college when it’s formed.

-Recognition for schools:
Manual osteopathy schools that join CRMOO will have their graduates grandfathered into the new regulatory college.

-Recognition for associations:
Any osteopathy association in Canada that joins CRMOO will have its members grandfathered and accepted into the new regulatory college.

-Representation on the board:
Every participating school and association will have one paid seat on the executive board of the new regulatory college.
In addition, First Nations, Métis Nations, and Inuit Nations that join CRMOO will each have one paid position on the board of the regulatory college as well.

Regulating a new health profession takes time and resources — it involves lawyers, lobbyists, and other professionals. As a member of the Southern Cherokee Nation and the Red Fire People, and a former Minister of Education for the Nation, I see it as my responsibility to help and support this effort.

The following organizations have already joined CRMOO and pledged to contribute funds toward the regulation project:

-National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
-National University of Medical Sciences (Spain, USA, Panama)
-Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada
-College of Registered Manual Osteopaths
-American Association of Osteopathic Manual Practitioners
-OSTEO-MASSAGE Health Centers of America
-Canadian Naprapathic Association
-International Osteopathic Association
-Osteopathy Association of Panama
-Iranian Osteopathic Association
-U.S. Council on Osteopathic Manual Practice Education
-American Osteopathic Manual Practice Examining Board
-Indigenous Peoples Association of Osteopathy
-Canadian Manual Osteopathic Association
-Canadian Union of Osteopathic Manual

In the coming weeks, CRMOO will contact all osteopathy schools and associations across Canada to invite them to join.

Manual osteopaths and students are also welcome to join the movement by visiting our official CRMOO Facebook group (link below): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1084799586800929

Let’s work together to make manual osteopathy a regulated profession in Ontario — to protect the public, strengthen our profession, and honor the heritage of the Indigenous Peoples who gave osteopathy to the world.

Dr. Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD
Osteopath, Naprapath, Chiropractor & Founder of:
National Academy of Osteopathy (Canada, USA)
National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain, Panama)
Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada (380 clinics in 34 countries)
World Osteopathy Day

08/19/2025

In this video, osteopath, naprapath & chiropractor, Dr Shawn Pourgol, MBA, DC, DO, DN, PhD president of National Academy of Osteopathy, National University of Medical Sciences and Osteopathy Chronic Pain Clinics of Canada reviews some important points to keep in mind before performing any manual osteopathic techniques.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17G6SKcjrd/

08/18/2025

Manual osteopathic treatments on participants demonstrated an increase in milk production from baseline at each visit.

Context There is currently no clinical research investigating the effect of osteopathic manipulation on the milk supply of lactating patients. Herbal and prescription galactagogues are limited and have the potential for serious side effects. Objectives The objective of this study was to determine wh...

07/30/2025

The Power of Unity

All National Academy of Osteopathy and National University of Medical Sciences (USA, Spain) graduates in New Brunswick have been accepted by the new regulatory college, stablished in June 2025.

This was a wise decision by the organization that initiated the process. On their behalf, a lawyer contacted all NAO & NUMSS graduates, as well as others, to inform them that they would be eligible to join the college as long as they are practicing in the province.

Because of this inclusive approach, there was no opposition from the National Academy of Osteopathy, National University of medical Sciences, their graduates, or other practitioners.

As demonstrated in Quebec, a regulatory process can be delayed or halted if it excludes certain practitioners. In Quebec, attempts were made to exclude graduates from several schools, which led those schools to file complaints with the government. The government ultimately paused the process and instructed the Quebec organization to make changes to ensure no one’s career would be jeopardized.

This experience highlighted an important lesson for New Brunswick: the regulatory process must be inclusive so that all osteopathic manual practitioners can continue to work.

In New Brunswick, members of the newly formed regulatory college can use the term "osteopath".

07/20/2025

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07/16/2025

Osteopathic soft tissue manipulation enhances recovery of muscle mass in a disuse model of sarcopenia.

Context Sarcopenia is a disease characterized by low muscle mass and function that places individuals at greater risk of disability, loss of independence, and death. Current therapies include addressing underlying performance issues, resistance training, and/or nutritional strategies. However, these...