Hello all, in particular my patients, I recently signed a “consent agreement” with the state of Alaska, with which I don’t agree and only consented to under duress, or else risk losing my license. Under this “consent agreement” which has a duration of 3 years, I may not give, prescribe or recommend in practice anything (anything AT ALL) that carries the Rx label. According to the Division of Professional Licensing (which has very little understanding of the training received by naturopathic physicians, and a limited understanding of the services we provide daily to our patients) this includes all IV nutrients (B-12 shots, IV Vit C, glutathione, magnesium, etc) as well as all animal-derived bio-identical hormones. I am so very sorry to say that while the state is taking this ill-advised, misguided stance, I will not be allowed to access these important therapies as I have for nearly 20 years with NO PROBLEM whatsoever. You can read the next post to get some background on my situation if you are not familiar with this. I did manage to insist in my “consent agreement” that the restrictions on my practice will NOT have bearing on my colleagues in the state. However, it does establish a legal precedent and it is quite clear to members of the Alaska Association of Naturopathic Physicians where the pressure is coming from. The director of the Division of Professional Licensing likely doesn’t have the inclination, understanding or imagination to actively suppress access to natural medicine in the state. However, he does kow-tow to the “medical experts” who increasingly see “alternative healthcare” as a threat to their own bottom line. After all, the “standard” approach to “health care” in this country seems to be to keep people chronically dependent on drugs. That’s how the system makes money. If the bottom line is profits, and NOT your health, then the type of doctors, notably naturopathic doctors, who aim to teach their patients how to achieve optimal health, are bad for Big Pharma’s bottom line. Apparently that’s starting to make a dent. Yay! Keep up your personal efforts to take responsibility for your own health. Don’t use drugs casually! Eat greens! Exercise regularly. Drink water. Don’t hang out in toxic relationships. Commit to your own health and well being every day! I also negotiated into my “consent agreement” that if the law changes, then I can apply to be released from parts pf my 3 years probation. Please know my restrictions did not emanate from any patient complaint. I have never hurt a patient as far as I know. No patient complaint. No patient harm. But the Division of Professional Licensing is severely curtailing my usefulness to my community of patients just because some of the corporate-minded MDs out there are irritated by the groundswell of interest, which happily is growing daily, in personal responsibility for health and the turning away from drugs as a first resort. Don’t get me wrong: emergency medicine is incredibly helpful. However, many Americans are way too dependent on going for the drugs first, instead of improving diet, exercise, sleep and other basics. If you are interested in supporting your freedom of choice in healthcare and helping to prevent this strenuous example of the corporate monolith trying to stamp out “alternative” health care in Alaska, please consider providing testimony to preserve your right to freedom of choice in healthcare.
Senate Bill 175 is being heard TUESDAY FEB 7 at 1:30 PM
House Bill 266 is being heard WEDS FEB 8 at 3:15 PM
Both bills are identical and ONLY preserve the current scope of practice for NDs. These bills DO NOT expand our scope (of course the state medical association and their lobbyist are working overtime to persuade legislators that NDs are sneaking a scope expansion bill through. This assertion is nonsense. Please read the bills). Your testimony is the MOST IMPORTANT way you can help now to preserve your access to naturopathic care. Thank you so much! I want to stay and work here and continue to serve you. But I will not stay if my scope shrinks to nothing, which is what ASMA wants, apparently.