Naturopathic doctors: scope of practice.
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Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Business, Professions and Economic Development
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill extends the practice of naturopathic doctors in California by allowing them to perform a broader range of minor office procedures, including incision and drainage of abscesses and trephination of subungual hematomas. It also expands their ability to dispense and prescribe medications, including controlled substances, without requiring direct supervision, though certain requirements regarding pharmacology coursework and standardized procedures remain. The bill effectively removes existing restrictions on these practices, which were set to expire on January 1, 2027.
Key provisions
- Allows naturopathic doctors to perform minor office procedures like incision and drainage and trephination.
- Expands the ability to dispense and prescribe medications, including Schedule II-V controlled substances, without direct physician supervision.
- Removes the requirement for standardized procedures and physician supervision for prescribing certain drugs.
- Requires naturopathic doctors to complete pharmacology coursework.
- Extends the current licensure act until an unspecified future date.
- Defines ‘minor office procedure’ to include specific medical tasks.
- Clarifies the definition of ‘drug order’ for legal purposes.
- Specifies that a naturopathic doctor’s signature on a drug order is considered a prescriber’s signature.
Who is affected
- Naturopathic doctors
- Patients seeking naturopathic care
Bill text
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Sponsors
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1 on record
Primary sponsor
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