azskeptic
09-25-2004, 06:53 AM
http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_3208420,00.html
Push for law causes rift
Naturopaths split over need, effects of state regulation
By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News
September 25, 2004
One group of naturopaths has tried for years to pass legislation that would license their profession in Colorado.
They argue that the criminal case against Brian O'Connell demonstrates the current danger to patients, who have no way of knowing whether naturopath's claimed credentials are valid.
"It's sad for me that people have been hurt," said naturopath Rena Bloom, president of the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians. "We hoped to get something in place before there was a problem. It seems like it's time."
Naturopathic medicine focuses on the underlying causes of disease and using natural methods to promote the body's ability to heal itself.
Naturopaths use herbal medicines, supplements, acupuncture, homeopathy, Oriental and other healing arts.
Naturopathic doctors are currently licensed in 14 states.
Last month, Bloom's group submitted another application to the Department of Regulatory Agencies, seeking a method of licensing their profession. Previous attempts in 1993 and 1998 failed.
"DORA requires that an applicant prove there is harm to the public without regulation," Bloom said. "Before, we were not able to prove that."
Bloom's organization wants licensing tied to degrees from schools that offer four-year, post-graduate programs in naturopathy and passing an examination that demonstrates mastery of the field.
Four schools in the U.S. and Canada offer four-year naturopathy programs, which can cost $70,000 or more.
Some practitioners, like O'Connell, rely on training from correspondence schools or online sites.
"If someone is going to be seeing patients and calling themselves 'doctor,' they should have the qualifications and training to practice medicine," Bloom said.
Steve Colton, president of a competing professional association, said his group doesn't oppose licensing, but does oppose requiring completion of a four- year naturopathy program.
Colton, a licensed pharmacist in Colorado, heads the Colorado Naturopathic Medical Association, which does not require the four-year degrees. O'Connell is vice president of the organization.
Colton said he spent six years getting a degree in pharmacology and many other CNMA members were trained as nurses, physician's assistants, dentists, chiropractors or in other medical fields.
"We feel it is probably redundant to have these people go back and do another four years of school," he said.
None of the four-year programs teach the unorthodox therapies at issue in the criminal charges against O'Connell, Bloom said.
"He is using things that most of the members of my association don't touch," Bloom said. "For some reason he has chosen to use more fringe therapies."
Laura and Dave Flanagan said they didn't know about this difference when they took their son, Sean, to O'Connell for treatment after doctors said his cancer was terminal.
Sean died nine days after beginning unorthodox blood treatments at O'Connell's Wheat Ridge clinic.
The Flanagans now are working to pass regulation of naturopaths.
"Our goal right now is to prevent this from happening to other people," Dave Flanagan said. "We feel it is our job now to help get this man and people like him to stop practicing and get them regulated."
"The lack of regulation means that this man, even after he is arrested, can go right back to what he was doing," he said.
"More people are getting into natural medicine," Flanagan added. "There's no question there needs to be regulation so that these people are properly trained. Now they can put up a shingle by paying $1,000 for an online correspondence course."
Push for law causes rift
Naturopaths split over need, effects of state regulation
By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News
September 25, 2004
One group of naturopaths has tried for years to pass legislation that would license their profession in Colorado.
They argue that the criminal case against Brian O'Connell demonstrates the current danger to patients, who have no way of knowing whether naturopath's claimed credentials are valid.
"It's sad for me that people have been hurt," said naturopath Rena Bloom, president of the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians. "We hoped to get something in place before there was a problem. It seems like it's time."
Naturopathic medicine focuses on the underlying causes of disease and using natural methods to promote the body's ability to heal itself.
Naturopaths use herbal medicines, supplements, acupuncture, homeopathy, Oriental and other healing arts.
Naturopathic doctors are currently licensed in 14 states.
Last month, Bloom's group submitted another application to the Department of Regulatory Agencies, seeking a method of licensing their profession. Previous attempts in 1993 and 1998 failed.
"DORA requires that an applicant prove there is harm to the public without regulation," Bloom said. "Before, we were not able to prove that."
Bloom's organization wants licensing tied to degrees from schools that offer four-year, post-graduate programs in naturopathy and passing an examination that demonstrates mastery of the field.
Four schools in the U.S. and Canada offer four-year naturopathy programs, which can cost $70,000 or more.
Some practitioners, like O'Connell, rely on training from correspondence schools or online sites.
"If someone is going to be seeing patients and calling themselves 'doctor,' they should have the qualifications and training to practice medicine," Bloom said.
Steve Colton, president of a competing professional association, said his group doesn't oppose licensing, but does oppose requiring completion of a four- year naturopathy program.
Colton, a licensed pharmacist in Colorado, heads the Colorado Naturopathic Medical Association, which does not require the four-year degrees. O'Connell is vice president of the organization.
Colton said he spent six years getting a degree in pharmacology and many other CNMA members were trained as nurses, physician's assistants, dentists, chiropractors or in other medical fields.
"We feel it is probably redundant to have these people go back and do another four years of school," he said.
None of the four-year programs teach the unorthodox therapies at issue in the criminal charges against O'Connell, Bloom said.
"He is using things that most of the members of my association don't touch," Bloom said. "For some reason he has chosen to use more fringe therapies."
Laura and Dave Flanagan said they didn't know about this difference when they took their son, Sean, to O'Connell for treatment after doctors said his cancer was terminal.
Sean died nine days after beginning unorthodox blood treatments at O'Connell's Wheat Ridge clinic.
The Flanagans now are working to pass regulation of naturopaths.
"Our goal right now is to prevent this from happening to other people," Dave Flanagan said. "We feel it is our job now to help get this man and people like him to stop practicing and get them regulated."
"The lack of regulation means that this man, even after he is arrested, can go right back to what he was doing," he said.
"More people are getting into natural medicine," Flanagan added. "There's no question there needs to be regulation so that these people are properly trained. Now they can put up a shingle by paying $1,000 for an online correspondence course."