HR0416 LRB095 12081 RAS 35910 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, According to data published in 1990 and again in
3 1997 in the Journal of the American Medical Association by
4 David Eisenberg, MD of Harvard Medical School, over 40% of
5 Americans use at least one alternative therapy; over 70% of the
6 patients using alternative therapies in Dr. Eisenberg's study
7 did not disclose this use to their medical doctors; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The provision of complementary and alternative
9 therapies is increasing by practitioners who have varied to no
10 training, testing, or legitimate certification; and
 
11     WHEREAS, In recognizing the demand for natural medicine,
12 the challenge for regulators is to identify those practitioners
13 who have the appropriate education and training to safely
14 practice complementary and alternative therapies; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Naturopathic physicians are among the highest
16 trained practitioners in the broadest scope of complementary
17 and alternative medicine; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Prior to 1987, naturopathic physicians were
19 eligible for licensure in Illinois under the Medical Practice
20 Act; and
 

 

 

HR0416 - 2 - LRB095 12081 RAS 35910 r

1     WHEREAS, Legislative recognition in the form of State
2 licensure creates a climate for patients to trust the
3 credentials of naturopathic physicians providing complementary
4 and alternative therapies; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Fifteen states, the District of Columbia, and the
6 U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
7 have licensing laws for Naturopathic Physicians; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The licensing of naturopathic physicians assures
9 the public of a high standard of education and training of
10 these practitioners while providing consumers access to
11 evidence based natural therapies; therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14 there is created the Task Force on the Licensure of
15 Naturopathic Physicians to (i) evaluate whether the standards
16 of naturopathic medical education and training are adequate to
17 protect the public and (ii) make recommendations as to the
18 extent to which regulation of naturopathic physicians will
19 benefit the health of the citizens of Illinois; and be it
20 further
 
21     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the
22 Chairperson of the House Registration and Regulation

 

 

HR0416 - 3 - LRB095 12081 RAS 35910 r

1 Committee, who shall serve as the Task Force Chairperson; the
2 Minority Spokesperson of the House Registration and Regulation
3 Committee; 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed
4 by the Speaker of the House; and 2 members of the House of
5 Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;
6 and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold hearings to
8 determine the public demand for appropriately educated and
9 trained naturopathic physicians and the risk and detriment to
10 the public welfare in the absence of regulation; the Task Force
11 shall also examine naturopathic medical education institutions
12 in order to establish the adequacy of naturopathic medical
13 education and training; and be it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall present a written
15 report of its findings to the House of Representatives no later
16 than December 31, 2007.