SECTIONS 3610-3615 - California Statutes

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE

SECTION 3610-3615

3610. This chapter may be cited as the Naturopathic Doctors Act.

3612. The Naturopathic Medicine Committee is hereby created within
the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.

3613. The following definitions apply for the purposes of this
chapter:
(a) "Committee" means the Naturopathic Medicine Committee within
the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. Any reference in any law
or regulation to the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine shall be deemed
to refer to the Naturopathic Medicine Committee within the
Osteopathic Medical Board of California.
(b) "Naturopathic childbirth attendance" means the specialty
practice of natural childbirth by a naturopathic doctor that includes
the management of normal pregnancy, normal labor and delivery, and
the normal postpartum period, including normal newborn care.
(c) "Naturopathic medicine" means a distinct and comprehensive
system of primary health care practiced by a naturopathic doctor for
the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human health conditions,
injuries, and disease.
(d) "Naturopathic doctor" means a person who holds an active
license issued pursuant to this chapter.
(e) "Naturopathy" means a noninvasive system of health practice
that employs natural health modalities, substances, and education to
promote health.
(f) "Drug" means any substance defined as a drug by Section 11014
of the Health and Safety Code.
(g) "Naturopathic assistant" means a person who may be unlicensed,
who performs basic administrative, clerical, and technical
supportive services in compliance with this chapter for a licensed
naturopathic doctor or naturopathic corporation and who is at least
18 years of age, and who has had at least the minimum amount of hours
of appropriate training pursuant to standards established by the
Medical Board of California for a medical assistant pursuant to
Section 2069. The naturopathic assistant shall be issued a
certificate by the training institution or instructor indicating
satisfactory completion of the required training. A copy of the
certificate shall be retained as a record by each employer or the
naturopathic assistant.
(h) "Naturopathic technical supportive services" means simple
routine medical tasks and procedures that may be safely performed by
a naturopathic assistant who has limited training and who functions
under the supervision of a licensed naturopathic doctor.
(i) "Specific authorization" means a specific written order
prepared by the supervising naturopathic doctor authorizing the
procedures to be performed on a patient, which shall be placed in the
patient's medical record, or a standing order prepared by the
supervising naturopathic doctor authorizing the procedures to be
performed. A notation of the standing order shall be placed on the
patient's medical record.
(j) "Supervision" means the supervision of procedures authorized
under this section or Section 3640.2 by a naturopathic doctor, within
his or her scope of practice, who is physically present in the
treatment facility during the performance of those procedures.

3615. The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any
provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that
invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this
chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or
application.