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Quebec’s college of physicians supports massage therapy regulation
The Collège des médecins of Quebec (CMQ), the organization that regulates medical profession in the province, has expressed its support in the regulation and professional supervision of massage therapy in Quebec.
February 17, 2015 By Massage Therapy Canada staff
In a letter sent to the president of the Quebec Federation of
Massage Therapists (FQM), Sylvie
Bédard, CMQ’s deputy registrar, Dr. Jean-Bernard Trudeau declared that
"the Collège des médecins recognizes that many stakeholders are active
in the field of massage therapy without having their professional
practice supervised" and that the risk of potential harm associated with
this practice in the social and healthcare services exists.
"From
the perspective of the public protection, the CMQ recognizes the need
for supervision by the professional system of Quebec," Trudeau said.
According
to FQM, 66 per cent of Quebecers who use the services of a massage
therapist do so for health-related problems (oncology, chronic pain).
“However, massage therapy in Quebec and other unregulated provinces is
facing issues that must be brought to the attention of the general
public as well as relevant governmental bodies to ensure by an Act, the
public’s protection,” the association said in a statement.
FQM
cited the recent cases of sexual abuses by massage therapists on their
clients, under the guise of treatment – such as the Saskatchewan massage
therapist convicted of sexual assault in September 2014, who can still
practice massage therapy in the absence of regulation.
“In
addition, the Bill C-36 could allow some erotic massage parlours to
legitimize their activities by posing as true massage therapy clinics,”
FQM said. “If this situation carries on, it could create a real
confusion among the general public, for which finding a professional and
safe massage therapist is already difficult.”
Since 1979, the
public’s wellness, health and protection are at the core of the mission
of the Quebec Federation of Massage Therapists, which establishes and
offers all the available resources to provide quality training and
rigorous professional supervision to certified massage therapists in
Quebec, the association said. The FQM has been calling for the creation
of a college of massage therapists in Quebec.
The full version (in French) of the CMQ’s letter of support for the regulation of massage therapy in Quebec can be viewed here.
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