Naturopaths Prescribing

[Eos of the Eons]

I wonder how pharmacists feel about this...
http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/Health/ContentPosting?newsitemid=bc-naturopaths&feedname=CBC-HEALTH-V3&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=True

What the heck will NDs prescribe? I thought "drugs" were toxic in their philosophies???

Oh yeah, this is being done under the guise of giving people more "health freedom and choice". There is no limit on what they can prescribe, none. They can prescribe anything they want to under new regulations being passed in BC (not included in the article).

 

[Eos of the Eons]

http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/story.html?id=4ca739da-fe07-49b6-bb61-afb5dc628fb9

The changes would make B.C. the first province in Canada to grant naturopathic doctors the authority to prescribe drugs such as antibiotics, painkillers and anti-depressants.

Why not just make them go to medical school for frac's sakes!!

 

[Jeff Corey]

"A central belief in naturopathy is that nature has a healing power (a principle called vis medicatrix naturae). Another belief is that living organisms (including the human body) have the power to maintain (or return to) a state of balance and health, and to heal themselves. Practitioners of naturopathy prefer to use treatment approaches that they consider to be the most natural and least invasive, instead of using drugs and more invasive procedures." http://nccam.nih.gov/health/naturopathy/
So they use "natural" cures and not evil drugs?

 

[YoPopa]

If the naturopath prescribes wheat grass juice does that mean that the wheat grass juice will be on the public dime? And will have to cost 10X what normal wheat grass juice costs because it's pharmaceutical grade?

 

[JJM]

If the naturopath prescribes wheat grass juice ...

A comedian (Andy Richter) went to a health fair and interviewed purveyors for TV. He asked about wheat grass, and the proponent said "You see, animals are so much smarter than we are. When your dog feels ill, he eats grass." Without missing a beat, Richter observed "My dog also eats out of the cat-box."

 

[Pipirr]

A comedian (Andy Richter) went to a health fair and interviewed purveyors for TV. He asked about wheat grass, and the proponent said "You see, animals are so much smarter than we are. When your dog feels ill, he eats grass." Without missing a beat, Richter observed "My dog also eats out of the cat-box."

And, at the dogs.

 

[luchog]

I wonder how pharmacists feel about this...
http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/Health/ContentPosting?newsitemid=bc-naturopaths&feedname=CBC-HEALTH-V3&show=False&number=0&showbyline=True&subtitle=&detect=&abc=abc&date=True

What the heck will NDs prescribe? I thought "drugs" were toxic in their philosophies???o under new regulations being passed in BC (not included in the article).

Heh. My state is one of the most woo-friendly in the US; and here, naturopaths who have a certain minimum of medical education are able to prescribe medications, along with their woo treatment. Allowing them to offer actual treatment along with their woo treatment is, IMO, even worse than only permitting the woo treatment alone. It allows them to treat patients who otherwise would be forced to go to a real doctor; and attribute any significant improvement to the woo, at least in part. It also means that they'll be providing real, working medications with herbal and food medicines that may have substantial and unpredictable interaction issues

 

[Furcifer]

They can prescribe anything they want to under new regulations being passed in BC.

No worries, it's BC, there only one thing they will be prescribing.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

Gah. I googled some naturopath treatments for things like Type 1 Diabetes. Scary. They don't seem to think Type 1 Diabetes has anything to do with the lack of insulin. I'm dying to know what BC naturopaths are taught about the human body and by what "educational" institutes. I know registered dieticians that know far more about anything than NDs. I would go to one of them before an ND.

 

[JJM]

PalMD challenged NDs to say what they would do under certain circumstances, and here is the follow-up. http://scienceblogs.com/whitecoatunderground/2009/04/naturopath_challenge--follow_u.php

 

[luchog]

I'm dying to know what BC naturopaths are taught about the human body and by what "educational" institutes.

Well, a large number of both Canadian and American naturopaths graduate from here: http://www.bastyr.edu/

 

[Eos of the Eons]

The Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine program is accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), a specialized accrediting board recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. A copy of the CNME Handbook of Accreditation for Naturopathic Medical Colleges and Programs (2004 edition) is on reserve in the Bastyr University Library.

The Commission of Accreditation of Dietetics Education (CADE)http://www.eatright.org/ has developmentally approved the Bastyr Bachelor of Science Didactic Program in Dietetics and the Bastyr Master of Science Didactic Program in Dietetics and has accredited the Bastyr Dietetic Internship.

Heck, they aren't even qualified to be registered dieticians (they are qualified to give diet advice to diabetics and others). It's really scary reading through the PalMD challenge, but the Bastyr "education" site really explains everything. They should make grads of these ND courses and altie courses take some of the MD exams. Heck, they should have to go to med school, a real one, to be able to prescribe, just like MDs have to in order to be qualified to do so. They shouldn't be allowed a lousy education for prescribing priveleges.

 

[portlandatheist]

I know that some nurses in the states can prescribe. I'm not sure what the requirements are but I assume its certain educational requirements. Why not make the naturopaths have the same standards to be able to prescribe?

 

[JJM]

I know that some nurses in the states can prescribe. I'm not sure what the requirements are but I assume its certain educational requirements. Why not make the naturopaths have the same standards to be able to prescribe?

I don't know the requirements for a nurse-practitioner; but I bet it would take at least for years for an ND to achieve such status. They would need to begin by un-learning most of what they were taught in ND school. www.naturowatch.org

 

[luchog]

Heck, they aren't even qualified to be registered dieticians (they are qualified to give diet advice to diabetics and others). It's really scary reading through the PalMD challenge, but the Bastyr "education" site really explains everything. They should make grads of these ND courses and altie courses take some of the MD exams. Heck, they should have to go to med school, a real one, to be able to prescribe, just like MDs have to in order to be qualified to do so. They shouldn't be allowed a lousy education for prescribing priveleges.

I'm not sure about Canada, or even most of the US; but in my state, NDs, and anyone else for that matter, have to have an MD before they're allowed to prescribe real medication.

 

[NewtonTrino]

People should be able to take whatever the hell they want anyways, it's their bodies. That being said you won't catch me going to some fruitcake naturopathic nutball. I happen to live close to Bastyr and I've spent time on the campus. <Chills>

 

[blutoski]

I'm not sure about Canada, or even most of the US; but in my state, NDs, and anyone else for that matter, have to have an MD before they're allowed to prescribe real medication.

This is the first province in Canada that I'm aware of that has made this legislative change. We fought it, but the public seems to want it.

And it's election time, as of today.

Coincidence? Doubtful.

Also worth noting: the Naturopathic College is still working on the list of substances that can be prescribed, so I'm at least hoping it's more limited than we fear.

 

[rjh01]

People should be able to take whatever the hell they want anyways, it's their bodies. That being said you won't catch me going to some fruitcake naturopathic nutball. I happen to live close to Bastyr and I've spent time on the campus. <Chills>

In most cases yes. However there are a few drugs that if you take, could hurt me. Antibiotics are one example. Also the cost to the public purse for you going into hospital for taking the wrong drugs. Not to mention the cost to your relatives.

 

[luchog]

People should be able to take whatever the hell they want anyways, it's their bodies. That being said you won't catch me going to some fruitcake naturopathic nutball. I happen to live close to Bastyr and I've spent time on the campus. <Chills>

rjh01 already covered the antibiotics thing.

Wallingford/Fremont is a great part of town, and it means you're right near one of my most favoritist shops in the entire city, Bottleworks. But the whole area is painfully full of woo-woo nutjobbery.

 

[portlandatheist]

I don't know the requirements for a nurse-practitioner; but I bet it would take at least for years for an ND to achieve such status. They would need to begin by un-learning most of what they were taught in ND school. www.naturowatch.org

I meant this as kinda a joke because I highly doubt any naturopath would ever go through the educational requirements and standards required for others in prescribing drugs.
I found this website http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/440315 which has a US state by state summary of Nurse Practitioner prescribing law.
And like you said, they would be better off unlearning what they were taught in ND school.