No UN-D's

Many of you are familiar with complementary and alternative medicine. In 1997, it was estimated that consumers spent over 27 billion dollars on complementary and alternative medicine. Many of you are also familiar with Naturopathic Medicine and Naturopathic Doctors (NDs). For those of you who are not, I encourage you to read my blog What the Health is a Naturopath. However, what many of you may not realize is that Naturopathic Doctors are not licensed in all states. Thousands of "professionals" have taken advantage of this huge demand and lack of regulation by calling themselves Naturopaths even though they have not received the necessary training. They are "UN-Ds" not NDs. They are not doctors. This misrepresentation is not only unfortunate, it is deceptive, dangerous, and in some cases illegal.


Currently, Naturopathic Doctors are licensed in 15 states (see below) as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. In order to receive a license to practice medicine, these states require that Naturopathic Doctors graduate from a four year, accredited naturopathic medical school, pass extensive post doctoral board examinations, and complete state mandated continuing education requirements annually. When selecting a Naturopathic Doctor, it is essential that he/she meets the above criteria.

There are Naturopathic Doctors in each and every state. In unlicensed states, many of these doctors practice in integrative medicine clinics under the direction of conventional medical doctors. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) is a national organization whose members must meet the above listed criteria. Although not all licensed naturopathic doctors are members, this is a good place to start when looking for a new doctor. On the AANP website, click on the "Find a Doctor" tab, type in your zip code, and a list of local doctors will be presented.

If your state currently does not license Naturopathic Doctors, contact your local legislators. Let them know you believe licensure is necessary to ensure the safety of the public and to provide you with the freedom and confidence to choose a Naturopathic Doctor as your primary care provider.



States with licensing laws for Naturopathic Doctors:



Alaska
Arizona
California
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Idaho
Kansas
Maine
Minnesota*
Montana
New Hampshire
Oregon
Utah
Vermont
Washington
United States Territories: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands





*Effective July 2, 2009.