HR0095 LRB096 06616 ASK 16700 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
 

 

 

HR0095 - 2 - LRB096 06616 ASK 16700 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-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14 there is created the Task Force on the Licensure of
15 Naturopathic Physicians within the Department of Financial and
16 Professional Regulation to (i) evaluate whether the standards
17 of naturopathic medical education and training are adequate to
18 protect the public and (ii) make recommendations as to the
19 extent to which regulation of naturopathic physicians will
20 benefit the health of the citizens of Illinois; and be it
21 further
 
22     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the

 

 

HR0095 - 3 - LRB096 06616 ASK 16700 r

1 Chairperson of the House Registration and Regulation
2 Committee, who shall serve as the Task Force Chairperson; the
3 Minority Spokesperson of the House Registration and Regulation
4 Committee; 3 members of the House of Representatives appointed
5 by the Speaker of the House; and 2 members of the House of
6 Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;
7 and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold hearings to
9 determine the public demand for appropriately educated and
10 trained naturopathic physicians and the risk and detriment to
11 the public welfare in the absence of regulation; the Task Force
12 shall also examine naturopathic medical education institutions
13 in order to establish the adequacy of naturopathic medical
14 education and training; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall present a written
16 report of its findings to the House of Representatives no later
17 than December 31, 2009.