Podiatrists play a vital role in the management of foot conditions, particularly through the prescription and fitting of foot orthoses. Recent legislative developments have given them greater responsibilities and capabilities in this area. Here is an overview of the current legal provisions and the conditions to be met.
Renewal and adaptation of medical prescriptions
Decree No. 2009-983 of August 20, 2009 introduced a provision in Article D.4322-1-1 of the Public Health Code. This provision allows chiropodists to renew and, if necessary, adapt medical prescriptions for plantar orthoses that are less than three years old.
In order to be able to carry out these renewals or adaptations, two cumulative conditions must be respected:
- Absence of exclusion by the doctor : The doctor must not have expressly excluded on the initial prescription the possibility of renewal and adaptation without a new prescription.
- Information from the prescribing physician : The chiropodist-podiatrist must inform the prescribing physician (or another physician designated by the patient).
Coverage by health insurance
Decree No. 2019-835 of August 12, 2019 also allows health insurance to cover the renewal and adaptation by a chiropodist-podiatrist of an initial medical prescription for plantar orthoses. This measure directly benefits patients, facilitating their access to care and the necessary orthopedic equipment.
New legislation for 2023
Law No. 2023-379 of May 19, 2023 , also known as the RIST law, brought a significant step forward by expanding the skills of chiropodists-podiatrists. From now on, chiropodists-podiatrists can directly prescribe foot orthoses without requiring a prior prescription from a doctor, unless explicitly advised otherwise by the attending physician.
Thanks to the decrees of 2009 and 2019, as well as the law of 2023, chiropodists-podiatrists now have greater autonomy to manage prescriptions for foot orthoses. They can renew and adapt existing prescriptions and, in some cases, directly prescribe foot orthoses. This development promotes better continuity of care for patients and simplifies the care process.
For more information, you can consult the ordinal formalities and recurring questions on the ONPP website here .
