FAQ
For those interested in working in the field of natural
health...
1) Who practices natural health?
Natural health modalities are practiced by those who are trained, and have expertise in any of a number of different healing practices including traditional naturopaths, homeopaths, reiki masters, massage therapists, iridologists, kinesiologists, nutritionists and herbalists.
Practitioners of natural health are generally considered
ones who help people learn how to make themselves healthier—either through
preventative or corrective means. As such, those who practice natural health
differ from allopathic health practitioners in that they typically “educate
and advise” clients, not “diagnose and treat” disease.
2) What are the legal issues the natural health practitioner needs to know about?
In some states, legislatures have enacted laws that restrict practitioners from using certain professional titles, certain modalities, or both. The former are commonly called “title laws,” and the latter are called “scope of practice laws.”
Until recently, most of these licensing laws were limited to highly specialized, narrowly-defined fields of natural health such as chiropractic and acupuncture. However, within the last few years a number of special-interest groups have sought to pass licensing laws to limit the practice of a number of more generalized natural health practices that have been in the public domain since the beginning of time. Such misguided initiatives have included attempts to license naturopathy, naturopathic medicine, and homeopathy. These licensing attempts are usually initiated by special interest groups within the natural health field who want to drive out competitors and establish a monopoly. This serves to restrict consumer choice, prevent healers from offering their services to the public, and increase already skyrocketing health care costs. As Nobel Prize winning economist, Milton Friedman has said, “The justification for licensure is always the same: to protect the consumer. However…observe who lobbies for imposition or strengthening of licensure. The lobbyists represent the occupation in question, not customers…”
To determine if these types of licensing laws exist in
your state, please visit your state legislative website and search the statutes
by looking in the section of the statutes that includes professions and occupations.
To see how you can get involved to stop these self-serving attempts to license
natural healing practices, contact us at the Coalition at 1-800-586-4264.
3) What is the difference between licensure and certification?
With licensure, a health care professional within a given
field is required, by law, to hold a state-issued license authorizing that
person to practice. Certification is a voluntary professional standing that
is usually obtained by paying a fee, passing an examination, or both, and is
generally issued by a professional organization. It is usually not legally
required or binding, unless sanctioned by your state.
4) What language should I use in describing or advertising my services and what titles can I use?
In general, diagnostic and prescriptive language is typically restricted to licensed allopathic health professionals who have been authorized to diagnose and treat diseases, and to prescribe pharmaceuticals. The Coalition recommends that natural health practitioners clearly inform clients that their services do not involve diagnosing and treating disease. Rather, their services involve educating and counseling clients such that clients can strengthen their body’s own innate healing capacity.
Ultimately, practitioners should follow the laws or regulations
that exist within their state. These laws and regulations can usually be obtained
from each state’s department of public health and/or human services.
5) What is the difference between naturopathic medicine and traditional naturopathy?
Licensed naturopathic doctors (also sometimes referred
to “naturopathic physicians”) have been trained in “naturopathic medicine.” Education
in naturopathic medicine differs from traditional naturopathy in that the former
is an adulterated form of naturopathy that combines true naturopathic remedies
with certain invasive, allopathic modalities. Such modalities include drawing
blood and performing surgery, as well as prescribing pharmaceuticals and ordering
x-rays. True naturopathy simply involves natural, non-medical, non-invasive,
traditional naturopathic modalities.
6) What language can licensed naturopathic physicians use when describing or marketing their services, and what titles can they use?
“Naturopathic physicians” are governed by naturopathic medical licensing laws in 13 U.S. states. These laws typically provide two different sets of definitions:
a) The types of modalities these practitioners are permitted
to offer to the clients (also known as their “scope of practice.”)
b) The
titles that practitioners are permitted to use (i.e., “Doctor of
Naturopathy,” “Naturopathic Medical Doctor,” Naturopathic Physician,” etc.)
When trying to pass these types of laws, “naturopathic physicians” will
often present them as bills that will only govern the practice of “naturopathic
medicine.” In reality, however, the proposed laws almost always also impose
restrictions on the scope of practice and titles available to non-licensed
naturopathic practitioners. Thus, the self-serving laws put forth by these
naturopathic physicians who constitute a small percentage of natural health
practitioners nonetheless restrict traditional naturopaths.