Newsletters > Summer 1997 > Statute Challenges Natural Health : Many Natural Healthcare Providers Can Be Accused of Practicing Medicine Without A License, by Nancy Hone

Minnesota statute broadly defines what the practice of medicine consists of. It states that “A person that offers or undertakes to diagnose, correct, or treat in any manner or by any means, methods, devices, instrumentalities, any disease, illness, pain, wound, fracture, infirmity, deformity or defect of any person is practicing medicine.” A person who falls under this broad definition may be accused of practicing medicine without a license unless he/she is already licensed as a medical doctor. This broadly-worded statute puts many health practitioners at risk of being prosecuted for practicing without a license.

We’re the Minnesota Natural Health Coalition (MNHC) MNHC is a group of citizens and natural health practitioners that began last fall, to write legislation to ensure Minnesotans’ right of access to natural healthcare. Its goal is to protect natural healthcare practitioners’ freedom to practice the natural healing arts.

MNHC grew from a large group of people who recognized the injustice of an undercover operation by the attorney general’s office in accusing a local naturopath ofpracticing medicine without a license. Charges were also brought against a holistic, mercury-free dentist, forcing him to surrender his license and leave the state. Minnesotans launched phone and mail campaigns, contacting state-wide officers and legislators.

That’s when the natural health community came together. Their sense of injustice grew and they decided to be proactive, writing and lobbying for legislation to protect natural health. Over the winter MNHC circulated five bills to protect natural healthcare. We were pleased with the legislators’ positive response, although no action was completed on these bills. In March MNHC decided not to support the naturopathic licensing bill, as it excluded many practitioners. This licensure bill, which MNHC no longer supported, did not pass.

In our lobbying efforts we carefully noted the conflicting viewpoints of legislators, committee members and the attorney general about natural healthcare -- and realized that the growing natural health community needs to be “of one voice” and work for common goals. Coalition members and naturopaths seeking licensure met to regroup and see if we could develop new legislation that meets everyone’s needs, provides freedom of access to all natural healthcare, and protects the rights of all naturopathic practitioners.

Minnesota Natural Health Coalition recently agreed to work with a national group, The Coalition for Natural Health (CNH), to do research and write legislation protecting the rights of consumers and practitioners of natural healthcare. A $20,000 study of alternative and complementary healthcare was included in the omnibus health bill that passed in Minnesota this year. MNHC is meeting with those on the study to provide insight and information.

MNHC, now a non-profit organization, raises funds to educate the public on legislative issues regarding natural healthcare. The more members, the more effective we are in the legislative arena.

MNHC is refining its proposed legislation, while investigating U.S. laws affecting natural health, past and present, and legislation abroad. I believe its primary objective is to keep the practice of natural healthcare in the public domain.

This spring, a joint-senate subcommittee was named to study licensure. MNHC will speak with senators about Minnesota citizens’ continued freedom of access to all natural healthcare offerings. Our state’s natural health community must unite.