CMAJ • June 23, 2009; 180 (13). doi:10.1503/cmaj.1090037.
© 2009 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Letters

New powers for naturopaths

Trevor Champagne

Medical student, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.

On April 9, British Columbia passed legislation granting several new powers to naturopaths, including the ability to prescribe Schedule I drugs, administer radiographs and ultrasounds and perform minor surgeries. Physician response to this development has been frighteningly scarce. Naturopathic practitioners do not appear to be required to apply the same demanding standards of scientific rigour that are required of medical practitioners.

There seems to be an underlying tendency to dismiss such alternative medical practices, which frequently employ unproven therapies that may offer nothing more than a placebo effect, as essentially harmless. I am deeply concerned that naturopaths are being permitted to widen the scope of their practice when they studiously ignore one of the ethical principles to which physicians must adhere, namely that the practitioner must continue to accumulate evidence-based knowledge for as long as he or she practises.




eLetters:

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Dr. Herbert H. Nehrlich
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BM Hegde
CMAJ, 25 Jun 2009 [Full text]
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