HR0416 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0416 LRB095 12081 RAS 35910 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, According to data published in 1990 and again in 1997 in the Journal of the American Medical Association by David Eisenberg, MD of Harvard Medical School, over 40% of Americans use at least one alternative therapy; over 70% of the patients using alternative therapies in Dr. Eisenberg's study did not disclose this use to their medical doctors; and

WHEREAS, The provision of complementary and alternative therapies is increasing by practitioners who have varied to no training, testing, or legitimate certification; and

WHEREAS, In recognizing the demand for natural medicine, the challenge for regulators is to identify those practitioners who have the appropriate education and training to safely practice complementary and alternative therapies; and

WHEREAS, Naturopathic physicians are among the highest trained practitioners in the broadest scope of complementary and alternative medicine; and

WHEREAS, Prior to 1987, naturopathic physicians were eligible for licensure in Illinois under the Medical Practice Act; and

WHEREAS, Legislative recognition in the form of State licensure creates a climate for patients to trust the credentials of naturopathic physicians providing complementary and alternative therapies; and

WHEREAS, Fifteen states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have licensing laws for Naturopathic Physicians; and

WHEREAS, The licensing of naturopathic physicians assures the public of a high standard of education and training of these practitioners while providing consumers access to evidence based natural therapies; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the Task Force on the Licensure of Naturopathic Physicians to (i) evaluate whether the standards of naturopathic medical education and training are adequate to protect the public and (ii) make recommendations as to the extent to which regulation of naturopathic physicians will benefit the health of the citizens of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the Chairperson of the House Registration and Regulation Committee, who shall serve as the Task Force Chairperson; the Minority Spokesperson of the House Registration and Regulation Committee; 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; and 2 members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold hearings to determine the public demand for appropriately educated and trained naturopathic physicians and the risk and detriment to the public welfare in the absence of regulation; the Task Force shall also examine naturopathic medical education institutions in order to establish the adequacy of naturopathic medical education and training; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall present a written report of its findings to the House of Representatives no later than December 31, 2007.