3620-3628
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 3620-3628
3620. The committee shall enforce and administer the provisions of this chapter and shall be solely responsible for the implementation of this chapter. 3620.1. Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the committee in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount. 3621. (a) The committee shall consist of nine members appointed by the Governor. Members of the committee shall include five members who are California licensed naturopathic doctors, or have met the requirements for licensure pursuant to this chapter, two members who are California licensed physicians and surgeons, and two public members. (b) A member of the committee shall be appointed for a four-year term. A person shall not serve as a member of the committee for more than two consecutive terms. A member shall hold office until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor, or until one year from the expiration of the term for which the member was appointed, whichever first occurs. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for unexpired terms. (c) (1) A public member of the committee shall be a citizen of this state for at least five years preceding his or her appointment. (2) A person shall not be appointed as a public member if the person or the person's immediate family in any manner owns an interest in a college, school, or institution engaged in naturopathic education, or the person or the person's immediate family has an economic interest in naturopathy or has any other conflict of interest. "Immediate family" means the public member's spouse, parents, children, or his or her children's spouses. (d) Each member of the committee shall receive a per diem and expenses as provided in Section 103. (e) The committee may appoint a person exempt from civil service who shall be designated as an executive officer and who shall exercise the powers and perform the duties delegated by the committee and vested in him or her by this chapter. 3621.5. The committee shall meet at least two times each calendar year and shall conduct additional meetings in appropriate locations that are necessary to transact its business. 3622. (a) The committee shall adopt regulations in order to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (b) Unless contrary to the provisions of this chapter, regulations adopted by the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine shall continue to apply to the committee and its licensees. 3623. (a) The committee shall approve a naturopathic medical education program accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or an equivalent federally recognized accrediting body for the naturopathic medical profession that has the following minimum requirements: (1) Admission requirements that include a minimum of three-quarters of the credits required for a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited or preaccredited college or university or the equivalency, as determined by the council. (2) Program requirements for its degree or diploma of a minimum of 4,100 total hours in basic and clinical sciences, naturopathic philosophy, naturopathic modalities, and naturopathic medicine. Of the total requisite hours, not less than 2,500 hours shall consist of academic instruction, and not less than 1,200 hours shall consist of supervised clinical training approved by the naturopathic medical school. (b) A naturopathic medical education program in the United States shall offer graduate-level full-time studies and training leading to the degree of Doctor of Naturopathy or Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. The program shall be an institution, or part of an institution of, higher education that is either accredited or is a candidate for accreditation by a regional institutional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, or an equivalent federally recognized accrediting body for naturopathic doctor education. (c) To qualify as an approved naturopathic medical school, a naturopathic medical program located in Canada or the United States shall offer a full-time, doctoral-level, naturopathic medical education program with its graduates being eligible to apply to the committee for licensure and to the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners that administers the naturopathic licensing examination. 3624. (a) The committee may grant a certificate of registration to practice naturopathic medicine to a person who does not hold a naturopathic doctor's license under this chapter and is offered a faculty position by the dean of a naturopathic medical education program approved by the committee, if all of the following requirements are met to the satisfaction of the committee: (1) The applicant furnishes documentary evidence that he or she is a United States citizen or is legally admitted to the United States. (2) The applicant submits an application on a form prescribed by the committee. (3) The dean of the naturopathic medical education program demonstrates that the applicant has the requisite qualifications to assume the position to which he or she is to be appointed. (4) The dean of the naturopathic medical education program certifies in writing to the committee that the applicant will be under his or her direction and will not be permitted to practice naturopathic medicine unless incident to and a necessary part of the applicant's duties as approved by the committee. (b) The holder of a certificate of registration issued under this section shall not receive compensation for or practice naturopathic medicine unless it is incidental to and a necessary part of the applicant's duties in connection with the holder's faculty position. (c) A certificate of registration issued under this section is valid for two years. 3624.5. (a) This chapter does not apply to a practitioner licensed as a naturopathic doctor in another state or country who meets both of the following requirements: (1) The practitioner is in consultation with a licensed practitioner of this state, or is an invited guest of any of the following for the purpose of professional education through lectures, clinics, or demonstrations: (A) The California Medical Association. (B) The Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California. (C) The California Podiatric Medical Association. (D) The California Naturopathic Doctors Association. (E) A component county society of subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D). (2) The practitioner does not open an office, appoint a place to meet patients, receive calls from patients, give orders, or have ultimate authority over the care or primary diagnosis of a patient. 3626. The committee may employ other officers and employees as necessary to discharge the duties of the committee. 3627. (a) The committee shall establish a naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee to determine a naturopathic formulary based upon a review of naturopathic medical education and training. (b) The naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee shall be composed of an equal number of representatives from the clinical and academic settings of physicians and surgeons, pharmacists, and naturopathic doctors. (c) The naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee shall review naturopathic education, training, and practice and make specific recommendations regarding the prescribing, ordering, and furnishing authority of a naturopathic doctor and the required supervision and protocols for those functions. (d) The committee shall make recommendations to the Legislature not later than January 1, 2007, regarding the prescribing and furnishing authority of a naturopathic doctor and the required supervision and protocols, including those for the utilization of intravenous and ocular routes of prescription drug administration. The naturopathic formulary advisory subcommittee and the committee shall consult with physicians and surgeons, pharmacists, and licensed naturopathic doctors in developing the findings and recommendations submitted to the Legislature. 3628. (a) The committee shall establish a naturopathic childbirth attendance advisory subcommittee to issue recommendations concerning the practice of naturopathic childbirth attendance based upon a review of naturopathic medical education and training. (b) The naturopathic childbirth attendance advisory subcommittee shall be composed of an equal number of representatives from the clinical and academic settings of physicians and surgeons, midwives, and naturopathic doctors. (c) The naturopathic childbirth attendance advisory subcommittee shall review naturopathic education, training, and practice and make specific recommendations to the Legislature regarding the practice of naturopathic childbirth attendance. (d) The committee shall make recommendations to the Legislature not later than January 1, 2007. The naturopathic childbirth attendance advisory subcommittee and the committee shall consult with physicians and surgeons, midwives, and licensed naturopathic doctors in developing the findings and recommendations submitted to the Legislature.