Current Legislation
Ohio
Consumer Health Freedom Act
House
Bill 117 was introduced on March 8, 2005. The OCAANP
is opposed to this bill. Below is our position statement on
the bill:
The health freedom bill currently in the
Ohio
house, H.B. 117, the “Ohio Consumer Health Freedom Act,” is
strongly opposed by the OCAANP, Ohio Chapter of the American
Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
We feel that if this bill were to become law, it would put
Ohioans at risk of serious harm. The
bill would allow anyone who has received a naturopathic degree from
a diploma mill to refer to themselves as a doctor with no minimum
educational training requirements or standards.
It would allow people who have taken a 2 week to 6 month
course through the mail, and possibly without even a high school
diploma or GED, to put themselves out as naturopathic doctors.
This bill would also give any individual who falls
under this statute to make discernment as to whether or not treating
their “patients” with alternative therapies would pose an
“imminent risk of significant and discernable physical or mental
harm.” In order to
asses a person’s risk for harm by withholding allopathic medical
treatment, a person must have adequate medical training and requires
them to make a medical diagnosis.
The bill also requires all current professional
boards under section 4783.05 to work together to regulate a group of
practitioners with varied and undefined training and no licensure
requirements and make these boards responsible for investigating
complaints against said practitioners.
The OCAANP does not oppose freedom of healthcare
choice, nor are we looking to prevent any practitioner of natural
health modalities from practicing now or in the future.
However, we do intend to protect the public from untrained
practitioners who promote themselves as doctors or physicians, but
have obtained their credentials from diploma mills. We do intend to
protect the public from people who treat and diagnose with little or
no clinical training.
Previous
Legislation
Poorly
written bill that died at the end of the 2003-2004 legislative
session.
Currently there is legislation
being considered in the
Ohio
house of representatives to license Naturopathic physicians. H.B.
451, sponsored by Representative Merle Kearns (R-Springfield)
proposes creating a State Board of Naturopathic Medicine. This board
will issue certificates of authority to practice naturopathic
medicine to candidates who meet certain criteria and qualifications.
Currently,
13 states and the
US
territories of
Puerto
Rico
and the US Virgin Islands have licensing laws for naturopathic
doctors. In these
states, naturopathic doctors are required to graduate from a
four-year, residential naturopathic medical school and pass and
extensive post-doctoral board examination (NPLEX) in order to
receive a license. Licensed naturopathic physicians must fulfill
state-mandated continuing education requirements annually, and will
have a specific scope of practice defined by their state’s law.
The
legislation being considered in
Ohio
may deviate from the current educational requirements set forth by
the other licensed states. In order for
Ohio
citizens to have safe, affordable, and efficacious health care
choices,
Ohio
must follow the current criteria set forth by the other licensed
states. The OCAANP supports licensing efforts for Naturopathic
physicians in
Ohio
,
but only if it meets the strict educational guidelines and
maintains the professional standards set forth by the other licensed
states.
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