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2025 California Code
Business and Professions Code - BPC
DIVISION 2 - HEALING ARTS
CHAPTER 8.2 - Naturopathic Doctors Act
ARTICLE 4 - Application of Chapter
Section 3640.

Universal Citation:
CA Bus & Prof Code § 3640 (2025)
Learn more This media-neutral citation is based on the American Association of Law Libraries Universal Citation Guide and is not necessarily the official citation.
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3640. (a) A naturopathic doctor may order and perform physical and laboratory examinations for diagnostic purposes, including, but not limited to, phlebotomy, clinical laboratory tests, speculum examinations, orificial examinations, and physiological function tests.

(b) A naturopathic doctor may order diagnostic imaging studies, including X-ray, ultrasound, mammogram, bone densitometry, and others, consistent with naturopathic training as determined by the board, but shall refer the studies to an appropriately licensed health care professional to conduct the study and interpret the results.

(c) A naturopathic doctor may dispense, administer, order, prescribe, and furnish or perform the following:

(1) Food, extracts of food, nutraceuticals, vitamins, amino acids, minerals, enzymes, botanicals and their extracts, botanical medicines, homeopathic medicines, all dietary supplements, and nonprescription drugs as defined by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. Sec. 301 et seq.) consistent with the routes of administration identified in subdivision (d).

(2) Hot or cold hydrotherapy; naturopathic physical medicine inclusive of the manual use of massage, stretching, resistance, or joint play examination but exclusive of small amplitude movement at or beyond the end range of normal joint motion; electromagnetic energy; colon hydrotherapy; and therapeutic exercise.

(3) Devices, including, but not limited to, therapeutic devices, barrier contraception, and durable medical equipment.

(4) Health education and health counseling.

(5) Repair and care incidental to superficial lacerations and abrasions, except suturing.

(6) Removal of foreign bodies located in the superficial tissues.

(d) A naturopathic doctor may utilize routes of administration that include oral, nasal, auricular, ocular, rectal, vaginal, transdermal, intradermal, subcutaneous, intravenous, and intramuscular.

(e) The board may establish regulations regarding ocular or intravenous routes of administration that are consistent with the education and training of a naturopathic doctor.

(f) Nothing in this section shall exempt a naturopathic doctor from meeting applicable licensure requirements for the performance of clinical laboratory tests, including the requirements imposed under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1200).

(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 497, Sec. 35. (SB 1526) Effective January 1, 2025. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, pursuant to Section 3686.)

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