California bill promotes licensing naturopaths

The California Medical Assn. pushes for physician supervision of prescribing and deliveries.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. Aug. 11, 2003.

California's Legislature looks set to license naturopaths, which would make it the 13th state to regulate the profession.

Armed with licenses, naturopaths then would be eligible for reimbursement from health insurers. They could order lab tests for clients, prescribe drugs besides botanical supplements and vitamins, and deliver babies. And they would be able to call themselves doctors.

"This is a red-hot-button issue," said Rebecca Patchin, MD, speaking in her role as California Medical Assn. legislative committee chair. She also is an AMA trustee. "There's an increasing number of allied health providers who are wanting to practice medicine."

An estimated 65 to 200 naturopaths in the state would be eligible for this license, while 1,000 to 2,000 naturopaths would not qualify. The bill would license only graduates from five accredited naturopathic schools in the United States and Canada.

The American Assn. of Naturopathic Physicians estimates that there are 3,000 in the United States who would qualify for licenses if all states allowed this.

The California bill has passed the Senate and is working its way through the Assembly. Policy watchers say it is all but assured that the bill, backed by Senate President John Burton, a Democrat, will pass.

Sally LaMont with the California Assn. for Naturopathic Physicians, who has been working for the bill's passage, said the bill would make consumers safer.

"The bottom line is you need a license to practice medicine, even if it's natural medicine," she said. "Right now anyone can call themselves a naturopath in California."