Title BPC — California Bus. & Prof. Code

This chapter may be cited as the Naturopathic Doctors Act.

The California Board of Naturopathic Medicine is hereby created within the Department of Consumer Affairs.

The following definitions apply for the purposes of this chapter: (a) “Board” means the California Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Any reference in any law or regulation to the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine or the Naturopathic Medicine Committee shall be deemed to refer to the …

The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

The board shall enforce and administer this chapter and shall be solely responsible for the implementation of this chapter.

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the board in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramo…

(a) The board shall consist of nine members, consisting of seven members appointed by the Governor, one public member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one public member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. Members of the board shall include five members who ar…

The board shall meet at least two times each calendar year and shall conduct additional meetings in appropriate locations that are necessary to transact its business.

(a) The board shall adopt regulations in order to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (b) Unless contrary to this chapter, regulations adopted by the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine and the Naturopathic Medicine Committee shall continue to apply to the board and its licensees…

(a) The board shall approve a naturopathic medical education program accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or an equivalent federally recognized accrediting body for the naturopathic medical profession that has the following minimum requirements: (1) Admissi…

(a) The board may grant a certificate of registration to practice naturopathic medicine to a person who does not hold a naturopathic doctor’s license under this chapter and is offered a faculty position by the dean of a naturopathic medical education program approved by the board…

(a) This chapter does not apply to a practitioner licensed as a naturopathic doctor in another state or country who meets both of the following requirements: (1) The practitioner is in consultation with a licensed practitioner of this state, or is an invited guest of any of the f…

(a) The board may employ other officers and employees as necessary to discharge the duties of the board. (b) The board shall employ a full-time staff position whose responsibilities shall include enforcement against violations of this chapter. This position shall be under the dir…

(a) The board shall establish a naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee to determine a naturopathic formulary based upon a review of naturopathic medical education and training. (b) The naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee shall be composed of an equal number of repr…

An applicant for a license as a naturopathic doctor shall file an application with the board on a form provided by the board that shows, to the board’s satisfaction, compliance with all of the following requirements: (a) The applicant has not committed an act or crime that consti…

(a) An applicant for licensure shall pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination (NPLEX) or an equivalent examination approved by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners. (b) In the absence of an examination approved by the North American Board of Naturopath…

The board may grant a license to an applicant who is licensed and in good standing as a naturopathic doctor in another state, jurisdiction, or territory in the United States, if the applicant has met the requirements of Sections 3630 and 3631.

The board may grant a license to an applicant who meets the requirements of Section 3630, but who graduated before 1986, before the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations, or NPLEX, and passed a state or Canadian Province naturopathic licensing examination. Applications u…

A license issued under this chapter shall be subject to renewal biennially, as prescribed by the board, and shall expire unless renewed in that manner. The board may provide by regulation for the late renewal of a license.

(a) In addition to any other qualifications and requirements for licensure renewal, the board shall require the satisfactory completion of 60 hours of approved continuing education biennially. This requirement is waived for the initial license renewal. The continuing education sh…

(a) A licensee shall retain certificates of continuing education course completion for six years. (b) The committee may audit licensees’ continuing education records to ensure that continuing education requirements are met. (c) It shall be unprofessional conduct for a licensee to…

In addition to complying with subdivision (b) of Section 3635, the following shall apply to providers of continuing education: (a) The content of continuing education courses and related materials shall provide balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor. All patient…

(a) Upon a written request, the board may grant inactive status to a naturopathic doctor who is in good standing and who meets the requirements of Section 462. (b) A person whose license is in inactive status may not engage in any activity for which a license is required under th…

Only an individual may be licensed under this chapter.

(a) A naturopathic doctor may order and perform physical and laboratory examinations for diagnostic purposes, including, but not limited to, phlebotomy, clinical laboratory tests, speculum examinations, orificial examinations, and physiological function tests. (b) A naturopathic …

(a) A naturopathic doctor may provide supervision and direction to a licensed vocational nurse in accordance with Sections 2859 and 2859.1. (b) A naturopathic doctor shall not direct a licensed vocational nurse under their employment to take any action outside the scope of practi…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a naturopathic assistant may do all of the following: (a) Administer medication only by intradermal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular injections and perform skin tests and additional technical support services upon the specific authorizat…

(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing the licensure of naturopathic assistants. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing the administration of local anesthetic agents by a naturopathic assistant. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed …

Nothing in this chapter or any other law shall be construed to prohibit a naturopathic doctor from furnishing or ordering drugs when all of the following apply: (a) The drugs are furnished or ordered by a naturopathic doctor in accordance with standardized procedures or protocols…

Notwithstanding the requirements of Section 3640.5 or any other provision of this chapter, a naturopathic doctor may independently prescribe and administer the following: (a) Epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis. (b) Natural and synthetic hormones. (c) Vitamins, minerals, amino acids…

(a) To qualify to administer intravenous (IV) therapy in their practice pursuant to Section 3640.7, a naturopathic doctor shall demonstrate that they have complied with both of the following requirements: (1) Have a current naturopathic doctor’s license in this state. (2) Have co…

(a) A naturopathic doctor shall document their observations, diagnosis, and summary of treatment in the patient record. Patient records shall be maintained for a period of not less than seven years following the discharge of the patient. The records of an unemancipated minor shal…

A naturopathic doctor may not perform any of the following functions: (a) Prescribe, dispense, or administer a controlled substance or device identified in Sections 801 to 971, inclusive, of Title 21 of the United States Code, except as authorized by this chapter. (b) Administer …

This chapter may not be construed to authorize a naturopathic doctor to practice medicine, as defined under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000), except as specifically authorized in this chapter.

(a) This chapter may not be construed to limit the practice of a person licensed, certified, or registered under any other provision of law relating to the healing arts when the person is engaged in his or her authorized and licensed practice. (b) This chapter may not be construe…

This chapter does not prevent or restrict the practice, services, or activities of any of the following: (a) A person licensed, certified, or otherwise recognized in this state by any other law or regulation if that person is engaged in the profession or occupation for which they…

(a) This chapter permits, and does not restrict, the use of the following titles by persons who are educated and trained as any of the following: (1) “Naturopath.” (2) “Naturopathic practitioner.” (3) “Traditional naturopathic practitioner.” (b) This chapter permits, and does not…

A naturopathic doctor may perform naturopathic childbirth attendance if they have completed additional training and have been granted a certificate of specialty practice by the board.

In order to be certified for the specialty practice of naturopathic childbirth attendance, a naturopathic doctor shall obtain a passing grade on the American College of Nurse Midwives Written Examination, the American College of Naturopathic Obstetricians Examination, or a substa…

A naturopathic doctor certified for the specialty practice of naturopathic childbirth attendance shall do both of the following: (a) Maintain current certification in neonatal resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. (b) File with the board a written plan for the followin…

(a) A certificate of specialty practice in naturopathic childbirth attendance shall expire concurrently with the licensee’s naturopathic doctor’s license. (b) The certificate may be renewed upon submission of the renewal fee set by the board and evidence, to the board’s satisfact…

(a) Naturopathic childbirth attendance does not include the use or performance of any of the following: (1) Forceps delivery. (2) General or spinal anesthesia. (3) Cesarean section delivery. (4) Episiotomies, except to the extent that they meet the same supervision requirements s…

In addition to Section 3640, a naturopathic doctor who holds a specialty certificate in naturopathic childbirth attendance may administer, order, or perform any of the following: (a) Postpartum antihemorrhagic drugs. (b) Prophylactic opthalmic antibiotics. (c) Vitamin K. (d) RhoG…

(a) A licensee holding a speciality certificate in naturopathic childbirth attendance shall disclose to each client, in writing, the following: (1) The qualifications and credentials of the naturopathic doctor. (2) A copy of the written plan for consultation, emergency transfer, …

Except as provided in subdivision (h) of Section 3644, a person shall have a valid, unrevoked, or unsuspended license issued under this chapter to do any of the following: (a) To claim to be a naturopathic doctor, licensed naturopathic doctor, doctor of naturopathic medicine, doc…

A naturopathic doctor who uses the term or designation “Dr.” shall further identify themselves as “Naturopathic Doctor,” “Licensed Naturopathic Doctor,” “Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine,” or “Doctor of Naturopathy” and shall not use any term or designation that would tend to indi…

It shall constitute unprofessional conduct for a naturopathic doctor to violate, attempt to violate, assist in the violation of, or conspire to violate, any provision or term of this chapter or any regulation adopted under it.

(a) The board shall have the responsibility for reviewing the quality of the practice of naturopathic medicine carried out by persons licensed as naturopathic doctors pursuant to this chapter. (b) The board may discipline a naturopathic doctor for unprofessional conduct. After a …

(a) On and after July 1, 2019, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c), the board shall require a licensee to provide a separate disclosure that includes the licensee’s probation status, the length of the probation, the probation end date, all practice restrictions placed…

A person who violates Section 3660 or 3661 is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by imprisonment of not more than one year in a county jail, or by both that fine and imprisonment.