Page last updated 19 Dec 2019
Legislative Update
None.
Want to get involved?
Contact your Hawaii Senate and Assembly representatives and voice your opposition to legitimizing the practice of naturopathy.
Not sure what to say? From Jann Bellamy:
The North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners has admitted that naturopathic education and training are not sufficient to allow naturopaths prescription privileges. “Bio-identical hormone” is a marketing, not a medical, term, and medical experts warn against their use.
Sign the petition Naturopaths are not doctors: stop legitimizing pseudoscience
Media Coverage
Naturopathy advances in Hawaii. Respectful Insolence. 10 February 2016. Orac.
Scope of practice
Title: May use the title “doctor” and “doctor of naturopathic medicine”
- May use the title “naturopathic physician,” but cannot use the title physician unqualified.
- May not use the title “naturopathic medical doctor” or the acronym “N.M.D.”
Prescription drugs: May prescribe legend drugs.
- Hawaii naturopathic formulary [link broken]
- This is currently the best source for formulary information
Controlled substances: May not prescribe controlled substances, with the exception of testosterone (see updates above for details)
IV administration: May administer subcutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous substances
- Injections may not puncture the thoracic, abdominal, pelvic, cranial, or spinal cavities
- Naturopath must complete a qualifying course in parenteral therapy prior to administering IVs. The course must include a minimum of 30 classroom hours, a written examination, and the observation and practice of administering IVs.
- Naturopath must follow a prescribed standard for administering parenteral therapy.
- A parenteral therapy certification is required to administer injectable forms of substances listed in the state’s naturopathic formulary
Diagnostic tests: May order and interpret diagnostic tests.
Minor office procedures: May perform minor office procedures if,
- the naturopath passed the written NPLEX Clinical Elective Minor Surgery Examination or was licensed prior to the establishment of this exam
Spinal manipulations: May perform spinal manipulations
Childbirth/ midwifery: Not specified.
Vaccine waiver: Not specified.
Naturopathic assistants: Not specified.
Hawaii Rule and regulations for naturopathy
Continuing education requirements
Naturopaths in Hawaii are required to complete at least 35 hours of continuing education courses every two years. These hours must include at least 15 hours of pharmacology courses.
History
Hawaii has licensed naturopaths since 1925.
Practice expansion bill SB 223 passed on February 28, 2017, allowing licensed naturopaths to prescribe testosterone. The bill was introduced by Senators Baker, Gabbard, Ihara, Kidani, Tokuda, S. Chang, and Taniguchi.
Information courtesy of Society for Science-Based Medicine.
How to file a complaint
Naturopaths in Hawaii are regulated by the Hawaiian Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. To file a complaint against a naturopath in the state, you must complete an RICO complaint form.
Send completed form to:
State of Hawaii
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Regulated Industries Complaint Office Consumer Resource Center
Oahu Office
235 South Bertania Street, 9th Floor
Honolulu, HI 96813