OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 672 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 672’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Barhorst and Santucci
Effective date:
Racheal Vargo, LSC Fellow
SUMMARY
▪ Prohibits an individual from representing the individual’s self as a practitioner of
naturopathic medicine unless the individual is licensed by the State Medical Board.
▪ Establishes a criminal penalty for violating that prohibition.
▪ Creates licensing requirements for the practice of naturopathic medicine and requires
the State Medical Board to regulate the licensing of naturopathic medicine.
▪ Establishes services an individual licensed to practice naturopathic medicine can and
cannot perform.
▪ Requires additional authorization from the State Medical Board for a licensed individual
to prescribe, dispense, and administer prescription drugs and devices.
▪ Outlines circumstances in which the State Medical Board may limit, revoke, suspend, or
refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate a license.
▪ Creates a Naturopathic Advisory Council to assist the Board in regulating naturopathic
medicine.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
License to practice naturopathic medicine..................................................................................... 2
Application and eligibility ............................................................................................................ 3
Out of state applicants ................................................................................................................ 4
Education requirements .............................................................................................................. 4
License renewal ........................................................................................................................... 5
License suspension ...................................................................................................................... 5
Authorized services ......................................................................................................................... 6
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Unauthorized services .................................................................................................................... 6
Authority to prescribe drugs and devices ....................................................................................... 6
Discipline by the Medical Board ..................................................................................................... 7
Investigations .................................................................................................................................. 9
License surrender............................................................................................................................ 9
Limitation on initial license refusal ............................................................................................... 10
Child support orders ..................................................................................................................... 10
Human trafficking ......................................................................................................................... 10
Regulatory procedures.................................................................................................................. 10
Naturopathic Advisory Council ..................................................................................................... 11
DETAILED ANALYSIS
License to practice naturopathic medicine
The bill prohibits an individual from recklessly representing the individual’s self as any of
the following unless the individual holds a license to practice naturopathic medicine:
▪ A naturopathic physician;
▪ A naturopathic doctor;
▪ A naturopath;
▪ A doctor of naturopathic medicine or naturopathy;
▪ A “N.D.” or “ND”;
▪ A practitioner or provider of naturopathic medicine, naturopathic health care, or
naturopathy;
▪ Someone who is authorized to practice naturopathic medicine.1
An individual who violates this prohibition is guilty of a felony of the third degree.2
The bill defines “naturopathic medicine” as a system of primary health care that uses
patient education, naturopathic therapies, and therapeutic substances to do any of the following:
▪ Prevent, diagnose, and treat conditions, injury, and disease;
▪ Promote or restore health;
▪ Support and stimulate a patient’s inherent self-healing process. 3
1 R.C. 4789.02.
2 R.C. 4789.99.
3 R.C. 4789.01.
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This definition overlaps with the continuing law definition for what constitutes the practice of
medicine. The bill specifies that an individual who is licensed to practice naturopathic medicine
and who practices in compliance with the bill’s requirements is not in violation of the continuing
law prohibition against practicing medicine without the appropriate license.4
The State Medical Board must implement and administer the Naturopathic Medicine
Licensing Law.5
Application and eligibility
To obtain a naturopathic medicine license, applicants must apply to the State Medical
Board and pay an application fee of $305 (no part of the fee is returned if a license is denied).
The Board may prorate the fee for an initial license. An applicant also must provide information
showing that the applicant:
▪ Is at least 18 years old;
▪ Meets one of the education requirements described under “Education
requirements,” below;
▪ Passed a competency-based national naturopathic licensing examination administered by
the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners or a successor organization
recognized by the State Medical Board;
▪ Demonstrates a good, ethical, and professional reputation (notwithstanding a current law
prohibition against considering one’s moral character); and
▪ Has not had a license to practice naturopathic medicine or other health care-related
license, registration, or certificate suspended, refused, or revoked by any other
jurisdiction for reasons related to the applicant’s ability to skillfully and safely practice
naturopathic medicine unless that license, registration, or certification has been restored
to good standing by that jurisdiction.
If the Board determines the applicant meets the requirements, the Board must issue a
license no later than 60 days after receiving a complete application. An affirmative vote of a
majority of the Board members is required to determine that an applicant meets the
requirements.6 An application cannot be withdrawn without Board approval.7
4 R.C. 4731.34 and R.C. 4731.41 and 4731.99, not in the bill.
5 R.C. 4789.03.
6 R.C. 4789.05(A), (B), and (C).
7 R.C. 4789.10(F)(2).
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Out-of-state applicants
The Board must issue a license to an out-of-state applicant to practice naturopathic
medicine in Ohio in accordance with the Out-of-State Applicants Law8 if either of the following
applies:
▪ The applicant is licensed in another state;
▪ The applicant has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private
certification in a state that does not issue a license to practice naturopathic medicine. 9
Education requirements
An applicant must meet one of the following education requirements to be eligible for a
license under the bill:
▪ Hold a doctoral degree of naturopathy or naturopathic medicine from a naturopathic
medical education program in the U.S. or a degree-equivalent diploma from a
naturopathic medical education program offered by a college or university in Canada,
provided the following apply to the program at the time the degree or diploma was
conferred:
 The program offered graduate-level full-time didactic and supervised clinical training;
 The program was accredited, or reached candidacy status for accreditation, by the
Council on Naturopathic Medical Education;
 If the program is in the U.S., the program was, or was part of, a college or university
that was accredited, or reached candidacy status for accreditation, by a regional or
national institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of
Education;
 If the program is in Canada, the program had provincial approval for participation in
government-funded student aid programs.10
▪ Hold a doctoral naturopathic medical degree or degree-equivalent diploma from a
college or university that was conferred to the applicant before the Council on
Naturopathic Medical Education existed, provided the following apply to the program:
 The program offered full-time curriculum in basic sciences and supervised patient care
at the time the degree or diploma was conferred;
 The program was at least 132 weeks long and required completion of the program
within a period of no less than 35 months at the time the degree or diploma was
conferred;
8 R.C. Chapter 4796.
9 R.C. 4789.05(D).
10 R.C. 4789.06(A).
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 The program was, or was a part of, a college of naturopathic medicine or a college of
liberal arts and naturopathic medicine that was reputable and in good standing with
the State Medical Board at the time the degree or diploma was conferred;
 If the program still exists, it must be accredited by the Council on Naturopathic
Medical Education at the time the applicant applies for a license;
 If the program still exists and is in Canada, it must have provincial approval for
participation in government-funded student aid programs at the time the applicant
applies for a license.11
License renewal
A license is valid for two years and may be renewed. A licensee who wishes to renew a
license must apply for renewal on or before January 31 of even-numbered years. However, the
Board may establish a different expiration date for an initial license. A renewal application must
be submitted to the State Medical Board along with a fee of $305.
To renew a license, an individual must certify to the Board that the licensee has done the
following:
▪ Completed continuing education requirements established by the Board that are
equivalent to the continuing education requirements to practice medicine and surgery or
osteopathic medicine and surgery.
▪ Reported any criminal offense in which the individual pleaded guilty, was found guilty, or
was found eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction since last signing an application
for a license.
The Board may require a random sample of licensees to submit materials documenting
the licensee has complied with the continuing education requirements. If the Board finds that a
licensee has not complied with these requirements, the Board may refuse to renew a license.12
License suspension
If a license is not renewed on or before its expiration date, it is automatically suspended
on its expiration date. The State Medical Board can reinstate a suspended license if the individual
qualifies for renewal and pays a penalty set by the Board.
If the license has been suspended for more than two years, the Board may impose
additional requirements for reinstatement, including:
▪ Requiring an applicant to pass an oral or written examination, or both;
▪ Requiring additional training and to pass an examination when the training is completed;
11 R.C. 4789.06(B).
12 R.C. 4789.07 and 4789.03.
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▪ Restricting or limiting the extent, scope, or type of practice in which an applicant may
engage.13
Authorized services
Under the bill, a licensed individual may perform any of the following services so long as
they are consistent with naturopathic education and training:
▪ Order and perform physical and laboratory examinations for diagnostic purposes
including phlebotomy, clinical laboratory tests, orifical examinations, and physiological
function tests;
▪ Order diagnostic imaging studies;
▪ Dispense, administer, order, prescribe, or perform specified substances and therapies,
including administering nonprescription drugs or homeopathic medicine and performing
repair and care incidental to superficial lacerations and abrasions;
▪ Utilize routes of administration that include oral, nasal, auricular, ocular, rectal, vaginal,
transdermal, intradermal, subcutaneous, intravenous, and intramuscular.14
Unauthorized services
A license issued under the bill does not authorize an individual to do any of the following:
▪ Perform surgical procedures, except for repair and care of superficial lacerations and
abrasions, superficial lesions, or the removal of foreign bodies located in superficial tissue;
▪ Practice or claim to practice as a medical doctor, osteopath, dentist, podiatrist,
optometrist, psychologist, advanced practice professional nurse, physician assistant,
chiropractor, physical therapist, acupuncturist, or any other health care professional;
▪ Use general or spinal anesthetics;
▪ Administer ionizing radioactive substances for therapeutic purposes;
▪ Perform surgical procedures using a laser device;
▪ Perform surgical procedures involving the eye, ear, tendons, nerves, veins, or arteries
extending beyond superficial tissue;
▪ Perform chiropractic adjustments or musculoskeletal manipulation;
▪ Perform acupuncture.15
Authority to prescribe drugs and devices
A license issued under the bill does not authorize a licensee to prescribe, dispense, or
administer prescription drugs or devices, unless the licensee is authorized to do so by the State
13 R.C. 4789.08.
14 R.C.4789.09(A).
15 R.C. 4789.09(B).
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Medical Board. To become authorized, a licensee must pass the elective pharmacology
examination administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners or a
successor examination approved by the State Medical Board. A licensee authorized to prescribe,
dispense, and administer prescription drugs and devices under the bill may only prescribe
prescriptions on a formulary adopted by the Board. The Board cannot include any drugs or
devices on the formulary that are inconsistent with the training provided by naturopathic medical
education programs. Unless included in that formulary, a licensee authorized to prescribe,
dispense, or administer prescription drugs and devices cannot prescribe, dispense, or administer
controlled substances. A licensee with this authority is considered a licensed health professional
authorized to prescribe drugs for the purposes of the Pharmacists and Dangerous Drugs Law.
Before independently prescribing, dispensing, or administering prescription drugs and
devices, a licensee must establish and complete a 12-month collaborative relationship with a
physician licensed to practice medicine or surgery or osteopathic medicine or surgery to review
the licensee’s prescribing practices. This relationship does not imply or create a supervisory