Alternative therapy practitioners can now obtain licensure. Is that a good thing?
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On Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts will become the 19th state to join Washington, D.C., to license practitioners of naturopathic medicine, a holistic system that relies heavily on natural remedies, self-healing, and low-risk treatments. Signed the bill to give.
That may be a dubious honor.
Naturopathic medicine has long been a source of controversy, with criticism from opponents of its unorthodox methods (think herbal remedies, homeopathy, detoxification, oxygen therapy, etc.) and fervor from its followers. We have been gaining support. The new law is the culmination of more than two decades of advocacy and lobbying, but it is not without its critics.
For example, the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) has long opposed the approval of naturopathic medicine, citing a lack of evidence-based methods. “LIce sensing has the potential to be perceived by the public as an endorsement of a therapeutic area that lacks rigorous medical training, standards of care, and offers few clinical and evidence-based treatments. ,” MMS President James Gessner said in a statement.
The Massachusetts Society of Naturopathic Doctors (MSND) takes a logically different view. “This legislation provides the people of Massachusetts with access to well-educated and trained naturopathic physicians and expertise in both preventive medicine and natural integrative care,” MSND President Amy Rosenberg said in a statement. “The law will protect patients from inadequate training,” he said, adding that the law would protect patients from inadequate training. practitioner.
Naturopathic doctors, even those who are qualified, do not attend traditional medical school, but instead earn their degrees at four-year graduate schools with naturopathic programs. In Massachusetts, even those who have completed training cannot call themselves doctors or family physicians, prescribe medicine, or perform surgery.
This term can deter seriously ill patients (some of whom have reported relief from symptoms after visiting a naturopathic doctor) from avoiding traditional medicine, a phenomenon that , studies have shown to occur when individuals seek alternative medicine.
In fact, many doctors believe that the tendency of patients to rely solely on natural remedies is the most dangerous outcome. However, some believe that conventional medicine and natural remedies can be used together.
Michelle Dossett, a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, sent a letter to the paper about the issue. boston globeHe called for cooperation in two areas.
“Naturopathic medicine is safe and effective in treating many health conditions and can be a useful adjunct to conventional treatments, especially for many chronic diseases for which prescription drugs have limited effectiveness. ,” she writes.
Some people don’t really understand. Mr. Gessner of MMS stated succinctly in his statement:We urge patients to be cautious when considering naturopathic treatments. ”
