Naturopathic doctors: scope of practice.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on the exact types of drugs or their potency that are affected by this change.

Extending Naturopathic Doctors' Scope of Practice

This law extends the operation of the Naturopathic Doctors Act until an unspecified date and allows naturopathic doctors to perform minor office procedures and prescribe a wider range of drugs, including some controlled substances.

What This Bill Does

• Extends the operation of the Naturopathic Doctors Act until an unspecified date.
• Allows naturopathic doctors to perform minor office procedures such as treating lacerations, skin lesions, abscesses, and subungual hematomas without needing a doctor's supervision for certain drug prescriptions.
• Removes the requirement that naturopathic doctors must be supervised by a physician when prescribing some controlled substances (Schedule II to Schedule V).

Who It Names or Affects

• Naturopathic doctors in California
• Patients who receive care from naturopathic doctors

Terms To Know

naturopathic medicine

A form of healthcare that focuses on natural remedies and the body's ability to heal itself.

controlled substances

Drugs regulated by law because they can be addictive or dangerous if not used correctly.

Limits and Unknowns

• The exact date when the Naturopathic Doctors Act will end is not specified.
• It's unclear how this change will affect patient safety and treatment outcomes.

Official Summary Text

SB 1333, as introduced, Jones.
Naturopathic doctors: scope of practice.
Existing law, the Naturopathic Doctors Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors by the California Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Existing law repeals the act on January 1, 2027.
This bill would extend operation of the act until an unspecified date.
Existing law defines naturopathic medicine and authorizes a naturopathic doctor to perform specific health care functions. Existing law authorizes a naturopathic doctor to dispense, administer, order, prescribe, and furnish or perform, among other things, repair and care incidental to superficial lacerations and abrasions, except suturing, and the removal of foreign bodies located in the superficial tissues.
This bill would, instead, authorize a naturopathic doctor to dispense,
administer, order, prescribe, and furnish or perform minor office procedures, defined, in part, to mean care and operative procedures relative to lacerations, skin lesions, and abrasions, the incision and drainage of abscesses, and the trephination of subungual hematomas, among other specified procedures.
Existing law authorizes a naturopathic doctor to furnish or order drugs, including Schedule III to Schedule V, inclusive, controlled substances, under specified circumstances, including, among others, that the drugs are furnished or ordered under the supervision of a physician and surgeon and in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols developed by the naturopathic doctor and their supervising physician and surgeon and that the board has certified that the naturopathic doctor has completed coursework in pharmacology, as specified. Existing law authorizes a naturopathic doctor to independently prescribe and administer other specified drugs.
This bill would revise and recast the above-described authorizations to instead authorize a naturopathic doctor to furnish, order, or prescribe drugs, including, among others, Schedule II to Schedule V, inclusive, controlled substances, and would remove the supervision and standardized procedure requirements. The bill would make conforming changes.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF