FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5219

                                  C 447 L 87

BYSenate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Williams, Johnson, Kreidler, Kiskaddon and Conner)

Regulating naturopathic physicians.

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

House Committe on Health Care

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Drugless healing (naturopathy) involves a number of physical and mental treatments which seek to stimulate the natural curative processes of the human body.

The Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) conducted a sunset review of the Drugless Healing Act (Chapter 18.36 RCW) during 1986.  The review recommended continued licensure of drugless healers.  However, the Drugless Healing Act, written in 1919, was found to be largely outdated in terms of its scope of practice, licensing procedures and disciplinary authorities. 

The LBC recommended that a new practice act be written to retain the current scope of practice, and to modernize licensing and disciplinary procedures.  Suggestions for expanding drugless healers' scope of practice were to be reviewed by the State Health Coordinating Council.

SUMMARY:

The Drugless Healing Act (Chapter 18.36 RCW) is repealed on June 30, 1988 and replaced with a new chapter of law which regulates the practice of naturopathy.  The new chapter is based on the Model Credentialing Act contained in the Uniform Disciplinary Act.

No person may practice naturopathy or represent himself or herself as a naturopath or "doctor of naturopathic medicine" without a license.  The definition of naturopathy includes diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disorders of the body to stimulate or support natural processes.  Naturopathy excludes manual manipulation after June 30, 1988 (subject to legislative review), the use of controlled substances or other legend drugs (except certain vitamins and minerals), the prescription of intrauterine devices, the removal of foreign objects from the eye, the use of surgical incisions to perform diagnostic procedures, the interpretation of radiographic diagnostic studies, midwifery or acupuncture (without separate licensure), and the use of nutrition or food science to treat malignancies or neoplastic diseases.

The act does not prohibit the practice of oriental medicine or oriental herbology or the rendering of other dietary or nutritional advice.

The Director of the Department of Licensing is authorized to adopt necessary rules, set fees, establish forms and procedures, determine minimum education and experience requirements, prepare and administer examinations, issue and deny licenses, hire investigative staff, maintain records, determine whether alternative training or education may be substituted to obtain licensure, hear appeals and engage in other activities necessary to license and discipline naturopaths.

A five member naturopathic advisory committee is created, composed of three licensed naturopaths, and two persons unaffiliated with the profession.  The committee is authorized to advise the director on matters pertaining to naturopathic licensure.

Persons holding valid licenses to practice drugless therapeutics when this chapter becomes effective will be considered licensed under this chapter.

This chapter is subject to sunset review and termination in 1993.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Senate    44     2

      House 94   2 (House amended)

      Senate    46     2 (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:June 30, 1987 (Section 24)

            July 26, 1987