Senate Bill 2221 Summary

• Expands the North Dakota Board of Medicine from 13 to 15 members to include one naturopath and increases physician assistant representatives from one to two members.

• Establishes licensing requirements for naturopaths, including graduation from an approved naturopathic medical college, passing board-endorsed examinations, and maintaining a clean disciplinary history.

• Creates a two-tier prescribing authority system requiring naturopaths to first obtain a limited endorsement with physician supervision of the first 100 prescriptions or 12 months of practice, then apply for independent prescribing authority after completing a pharmacology examination.

• Defines naturopathic scope of practice to include dietary supplements, botanical medicines, topical drugs, and certain legend drugs via board-approved formulary, while prohibiting prescription drugs without endorsement, surgery, and ionizing radiation therapy.

• Provides disciplinary authority allowing the board to revoke licenses, impose fines up to $5,000, and establish grounds for discipline including fraudulent conduct, negligence, and violation of practice standards; establishes penalties of class B misdemeanor for unlicensed practice.