PUBLISHER letter Friends,
The Naturopathic Doctors Licensing Act has finally been introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly. Senate Bill 467 and House Bill 847 prescribe a process for licensing doctors of naturopathic medicine in North Carolina. The legislation follows the national standards for licensure of naturopaths requiring college graduation with an emphasis in sciences, graduation from a four-year nationally accredited naturopathic medical school, and passage of a state or national licensing board exam. Once licensed, doctors would have to complete yearly continuing educational credits to maintain a license.
What exactly is Naturopathic medicine? Naturopathic medicine is a primary health care profession emphasizing prevention and treatment of disease with the use of natural non-toxic therapies. The naturopathic perspective views each person as a whole and recognizes the healing force within each individual. Natural therapies are used to support and stimulate that vital healing force. A naturopathic doctor addresses the underlying cause or imbalance within a person rather than simply treating one’s problem symptomatically. Naturopathic therapies include clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, physical medicine and lifestyle counseling.
The scope of practice as detailed in the above legislation is specific and narrowly defined, allowing naturopathic doctors to diagnose and treat illness and use a variety of natural treatment modalities such as homeopathy, herbal therapies, nutritional supple- ments, diet, physical manipulation, light, heat and water. However, these therapies are not exclusive to the practice of naturo- pathic medicine, and the provisions of the legislation are applicable only to naturopathic doctors. This means that acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc. who are already licensed in NC will not be affected. The purpose of this current legislation is to provide standards for practitioners in North Carolina who practice as naturopathic doctors. There are many reasons to licence Naturopathic Doctors is NC, several of which are: • To distinguish 4-year+ medically trained* and credentialed practitioners from mail order program customers; currently there
is no way for consumers and healthcare professionals to know the difference. • To provide universities and colleges in North Carolina with trained informational resources in the natural sciences for inclu- sion within their integrative medicine programs (Duke Univ, UNC-Chapel Hill, and others) • To assure public consumer safety through access of knowledge of both conventional and natural science medicine, in order to monitor both harmful interactions and safe integration of therapies • To provide a medically trained and dependable resource of natural science therapeutics for healthcare professionals, includ- ing medical doctors, who want to provide integrative medicine to their patients • To provide a trained and expert employment resource for healthcare and wellness centers, integrative medical clinics, prod- uct companies, educational facilities, and business- based employee wellness programs • To support North Carolina’s cultural interest in tradition-based natural medicine and provide options for care and prevention to those who have not responded to conventional medicine.
This sounds like a no-brainer, doesn't it? Well, it will face some opposition by those who may feel threatened. We need your help to gain passage of this important piece of legislation. The North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NCANP) hopes the bills will move smoothly through the legislative process, however, your assistance is welcome and needed. Please email NCANP as soon as you can at
ncanp@aol.com and ask how you can help. Or email us at
editor@naturaltriad.com and we can provide you with the names and numbers of specific NC legislators for you to call or write.
Currently, 16 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands
have licensing laws for naturopathic doctors. Let's help NC be next! Thanks in advance for your support,
PS: Happy Father's Day wishes to Dads everywhere! 4
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