House Bill 993 Summary

• Establishes licensure and regulation of naturopathic doctors in North Carolina through creation of the North Carolina Naturopathic Doctors Licensure Board with seven members appointed by the General Assembly and Governor.

• Requires applicants to graduate from an approved naturopathic medicine program (minimum 132 weeks over 35 months), pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination (NPLEX), and obtain a collaboration and consultation agreement with a licensed physician.

• Defines scope of practice including dispensing natural remedies, performing physical examinations, ordering laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging, performing hydrotherapy and physical medicine, and providing health counseling, while prohibiting prescription drugs, surgery, anesthesia, and cancer treatment.

• Creates the Naturopathic Doctors Formulary Council to develop and recommend a formulary of approved natural remedies for practitioners, with Board discretion to modify recommendations.

• Sets licensing fees capped at $200 for application, $300 for license, and $350 for renewal, with continuing education requirement of 20 hours annually; violations constitute Class 1 misdemeanor; effective January 1, 2020.