Nontraditional medicine.

WORKING DRAFT
2005
STATE OF WYOMING
05LSO-0348

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0074

Nontraditional medicine.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Zwonitzer and Senator(s) Mockler

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to physicians and surgeons; providing that licenses shall not be revoked or suspended for practicing nontraditional medicine; providing for findings of the board; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.
W.S. 33
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26
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102(a)(xx), by creating new paragraphs (xxi) and (xxii) and by renumbering (xxi) as (xxiii) and 33
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26
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402 by creating a new subsection (c) are amended to read:

33
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26
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102.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this chapter:

(xx)

"Physician-patient relationship" means a relationship between a licensee and any person formed for the purpose of the licensee providing medical diagnosis or treatment to the person, whether or not for compensation;
and

(xxi)

"Nontraditional" means a therapy that does not involve the use of prescription medicine including homeopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, cognitive or behavioral therapies, meditation, prayer, chiropractic manipulation, massage, support groups, yoga, herbs, acupuncture, breathing exercises, aromatherapy, biofeedback and hypnosis;

(xxii)

"Experimental" means a therapy that is not of proven benefit for the particular diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition, is not generally recognized by the medical community as effective or appropriate for the particular diagnosis or treatment of the patient's condition, or is provided or performed in special settings for research purposes under a controlled environment or clinical protocol; and

(xxi)
(xxiii)

"This act" means the Medical Practice Act.

33
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402.

Grounds for suspension; revocation; restriction; imposition of conditions; refusal to renew or other disciplinary action.

(c)

The board shall not revoke the license of or deny a license to a person solely because of that person's practice of a therapy that is experimental, nontraditional or that departs from acceptable prevailing medical practices unless, by competent evidence, the board can establish that the therapy has a safety risk greater than the prevailing medical practices or that the therapy is generally not effective.

Section 2.
This act is effective July 1, 2005.

(END)

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HB0074