OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of awareness and knowledge of fibromyalgia among General Practitioners (GP) and Rheumatologists (R). METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all practicing R and 10,000 French GP randomly selected. RESULTS: A total of 1016 GP and 418 R (response rate: 10.2% and 16.7% respectively) returned the completed questionnaire. A random selection of 200 GP's and 200 R responses were analysed. Respectively for GP and R, FMS is an illness for 33% and 25%, a syndrome for 64% and 72% and does not exist for 3% and 3%. FMS represents for GP and R respectively 1% of their consultation for 74% and 33%; 2 to 5% for 24% and 64% and 10 to 20% for 1% and 3%. GP and R respectively recognized as being 1 of the principal syndromes of Fibromyalgia (in % of responders): diffuse pain for 83 and 92, digestive problems for 22 and 31, radiological anomaly for 6 and 1, troubled sleep for 57 and 87, lack of concentration and memory loss for 36 and 43, articular swelling for 15 and 6, muscular weakness for 76 and 45, a feeling of depression/anxiety/sadness for 78 and 82, excessive tiredness for 90 and 93 and palpitations for 15 and 19. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison between Rheumatologists and General Practitioners reveals some significant differences, especially regarding the definition of FMS, which is considered as an illness by 25% and 33% of the practitioners respectively. Significant differences also appear in their appreciation of the associated symptoms (the frequency of articular swelling and radiological anomalies in particular).