Help License Naturopathic Doctors in Colorado
Dear supporters of Naturopathic Doctors,
If you have already written to your Representatives, we thank you! If not, please consider taking a few minutes to contact the Representatives below---we need your help today!
Your medically trained Naturopathic Doctor needs your help to be able practice legally and ensure your ongoing access to doctoral level naturopathic medicine by writing your Representatives and Senators in SUPPORT of HB1173. Please copy and paste email addresses from the bottom of this email (to the Health & Environment Committee members) along with the text we've provided for you just below. Feel free to add your own experience of doctoral level naturopathic medicine.
HB 1173 has been introduced to require the regulation of Naturopathic Doctors in Colorado. This important legislation would ensure that patients have a right to know that their naturopathic doctor has attended naturopathic medical school, has passed all the ND medical board exams and requirements, and that naturopathic doctors will be held accountable by the state. Colorado is one of the few states in the West that does not require licensing of naturopathic doctors, and HB 1173 would address that problem.
The medically trained ND's who have attended a federally-accredited 4-year medical school institution are seeking to have a license to practice legally within a defined scope of practice. Right now Colorado is one of the only Western States that does not regulate naturopathic doctors. This means the public cannot distinguish between people with clinical medical training and those without.
HB1173 would provide citizen protection by ensuring that those who call themselves naturopathic doctors have met the professional standards for this title.
A scope of practice very similar to that outlined in the 8 other Western States would make it legal for medically trained ND's to diagnose and treat using natural modalities such as vitamins, botanical and herbal extracts, homeopathy, diet, nutrition, and exercise. They are NOT seeking the use of drugs or surgery.
Other practitioners' activities will NOT be curtailed by this bill. Other practitioners, both lay practitioners who are performing an unlicensed activity and other health care professionals who are currently practicing within the scope of their license will not be affected. They may continue to practice herbalism, homeopathy, yoga, Ayurveda, and a whole host of other natural therapies. The bill is strictly seeking title protection for the term "Naturopathic Doctor." A quick scan of the yellow pages and internet in states that license ND's will reveal that thousands of people who are not ND's are practicing a wide array of natural modalities without calling themselves ND's.
Attached you will find a short fact sheet on this bill that you can forward on with your personal letter. Please urge your representatives to VOTE YES ON HB1173.
This bill is crucial for your ongoing access to Naturopathic Doctors. Your support is greatly appreciated.
The Colorado Association of Naturopathic Doctors
Health & Environment Committee (House of Representative)
Rep. Cindy Acree cindy.acree.house@state.co.us Rep. Laura Bradford laurabradford55@gmail.com Rep. J. Brown jpaul.brown.house@state.co.us Rep.Rhonda Fields rhonda.fields.house@state.co.us Rep. Janak Joshi janak.joshi.house@state.co.us Rep. John Michael Kefalas john.kefalas.house@state.co.us Rep. James Kerr james.kerr.house@state.co.us Rep. Thomas Massey tom.massey.house@state.co.us Rep. Elizabeth McCann beth.mccann.house@state.co.us Rep. Cherylin Peniston cherylin.peniston.house@state.co.us Rep. James Riesberg jim.riesberg.house@state.co.us Rep. Sue Schafer sue.schafer.house@state.co.us Rep. Kenneth Summers ken.summers.house@state.co.us