2012 Utah Code
Title 58 - Occupations and Professions
Article 71 - Naturopathic Physician Practice Act
Section 102 - Definitions.

In addition to the definitions in Section 58-1-102, as used in this chapter:

(1) "Administrative penalty" means a monetary fine imposed by the division for acts or omissions determined to constitute unprofessional or unlawful conduct, as a result of an adjudicative proceeding conducted in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act.

(2) "Acupuncture" has the same definition as in Section 58-72-102.

(3) "Board" means the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Board created in Section 58-71-201.

(4) "Diagnose" means:

(a) to examine in any manner another person, parts of a person's body, substances, fluids, or materials excreted, taken, or removed from a person's body, or produced by a person's body, to determine the source, nature, kind, or extent of a disease or other physical or mental condition;

(b) to attempt to conduct an examination or determination described under Subsection (4)(a);

(c) to hold oneself out as making or to represent that one is making an examination or determination as described in Subsection (4)(a); or

(d) to make an examination or determination as described in Subsection (4)(a) upon or from information supplied directly or indirectly by another person, whether or not in the presence of the person making or attempting the diagnosis or examination.

(5) "Local anesthesia" means an agent, whether a natural medicine or prescription drug, which:

(a) is applied topically or by injection in superficial tissues associated with the performance of minor office procedures;

(b) has the ability to produce loss of sensation at the site of minor office procedures; and

(c) does not cause loss of consciousness or produce general sedation.

(6) "Medical naturopathic assistant" means an unlicensed individual working under the direct and immediate supervision of a licensed naturopathic physician and engaged in specific tasks assigned by the licensed naturopathic physician in accordance with the standards and ethics of the profession.

(7) (a) "Minor office procedures" means:

(i) the use of operative, electrical, or other methods for repair and care of superficial lacerations, abrasions, and benign lesions;

(ii) removal of foreign bodies located in the superficial tissues, excluding the eye or ear; and

(iii) the use of antiseptics and local anesthetics in connection with minor office surgical procedures.

(b) "Minor office procedures" does not include:

(i) general or spinal anesthesia;

(ii) office procedures more complicated or extensive than those set forth in Subsection (7)(a);

(iii) procedures involving the eye; or

(iv) any office procedure involving tendons, nerves, veins, or arteries.

(8) "Natural medicine" means:

(a) food, food extracts, dietary supplements as defined by the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act, all homeopathic remedies, and plant substances that are not designated as prescription drugs or controlled substances;

(b) over-the-counter medications;

(c) other nonprescription substances, the prescription or administration of which is not otherwise prohibited or restricted under federal or state law;

(d) prescription drugs:

(i) that, except as provided in Subsection (8)(e), are not controlled substances as defined in Section 58-37-2;

(ii) the prescription of which is consistent with the competent practice of naturopathic medicine; and

(iii) the prescription of which is approved by the division in collaboration with the naturopathic formulary advisory peer committee; and

(e) testosterone, if the testosterone is:

(i) bio-identical;

(ii) designed to be:

(A) administered topically, for transdermal absorption; or

(B) absorbed across the mucosal membranes of the mouth; and

(iii) prescribed or administered, in accordance with the requirements of federal and state law, solely for the purpose of treating a patient with a low testosterone level in order to restore the patient to a normal testosterone level.

(9) (a) "Naturopathic childbirth" means uncomplicated natural childbirth assisted by a naturopathic physician, and includes the use of:

(i) natural medicines; and

(ii) uncomplicated episiotomy.

(b) "Naturopathic childbirth" does not include the use of:

(i) forceps delivery;

(ii) general or spinal anesthesia;

(iii) caesarean section delivery; or

(iv) induced labor or abortion.

(10) "Naturopathic mobilization therapy":

(a) means manually administering mechanical treatment of body structures or tissues for the purpose of restoring normal physiological function to the body by normalizing and balancing the musculoskeletal system of the body;

(b) does not mean manipulation or adjustment of the joints of the human body beyond the elastic barrier; and

(c) does not include manipulation as defined in Title 58, Chapter 73, Chiropractic Physician Practice Act.

(11) "Naturopathic physical medicine" means the use of the physical agents of air, water, heat, cold, sound, light, and electromagnetic nonionizing radiation, and the physical modalities of electrotherapy, acupuncture, diathermy, ultraviolet light, ultrasound, hydrotherapy, naturopathic mobilization therapy, and exercise. Naturopathic medicine does not include the practice of physical therapy or physical rehabilitation.

(12) "Practice of naturopathic medicine" means:

(a) a system of primary health care for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human health conditions, injuries, and diseases that uses education, natural medicines, and natural therapies, to support and stimulate the patient's intrinsic self-healing processes:

(i) using naturopathic childbirth, but only if:

(A) the licensee meets standards of the American College of Naturopathic Obstetricians (ACNO) or its successor as determined by the division in collaboration with the board; and

(B) the licensee follows a written plan for naturopathic physicians practicing naturopathic childbirth approved by the division in collaboration with the board, which includes entering into an agreement with a consulting physician and surgeon or osteopathic physician, in cases where the scope of practice of naturopathic childbirth may be exceeded and specialty care and delivery is indicated, detailing the guidelines by which the naturopathic physician will:

(I) refer patients to the consulting physician; and

(II) consult with the consulting physician;

(ii) using naturopathic mobilization therapy;

(iii) using naturopathic physical medicine;

(iv) using minor office procedures;

(v) prescribing or administering natural medicine;

(vi) prescribing medical equipment and devices, diagnosing by the use of medical equipment and devices, and administering therapy or treatment by the use of medical devices necessary and consistent with the competent practice of naturopathic medicine;

(vii) prescribing barrier devices for contraception;

(viii) using dietary therapy;

(ix) taking and using diagnostic x-rays, electrocardiograms, ultrasound, and physiological function tests;

(x) taking of body fluids for clinical laboratory tests and using the results of the tests in diagnosis;

(xi) taking of a history from and conducting of a physical examination upon a human patient; and

(xii) prescribing and administering natural medicines and medical devices, except a naturopathic physician may only administer:

(A) a prescription drug, as defined in Section 58-17b-102, in accordance with Subsection (8)(d); and

(B) local anesthesia that is not a controlled substance, and only in the performance of minor office procedures;

(b) to maintain an office or place of business for the purpose of doing any of the acts described in Subsection (12)(a), whether or not for compensation; or

(c) to use, in the conduct of any occupation or profession pertaining to the diagnosis or treatment of human diseases or conditions, in any printed material, stationery, letterhead, envelopes, signs, or advertisements, the designation "naturopathic physician," "naturopathic doctor," "naturopath," "doctor of naturopathic medicine," "doctor of naturopathy," "naturopathic medical doctor," "naturopathic medicine," "naturopathic health care," "naturopathy," "N.D.," "N.M.D.," or any combination of these designations in any manner that might cause a reasonable person to believe the individual using the designation is a licensed naturopathic physician.

(13) "Prescribe" means to issue a prescription:

(a) orally or in writing; or

(b) by telephone, facsimile transmission, computer, or other electronic means of communication as defined by division rule.

(14) "Prescription device" means an instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent, or other similar or related article, and any component part or accessory, which is required under federal or state law to be prescribed by a practitioner and dispensed by or through a person or entity licensed under this chapter or exempt from licensure under this chapter.

(15) "Prescription drug" means a drug that is required by federal or state law or rule to be dispensed only by prescription or is restricted to administration only by practitioners.

(16) "Unlawful conduct" is as defined in Sections 58-1-501 and 58-71-501.

(17) "Unprofessional conduct" is as defined in Sections 58-1-501 and 58-71-502, and as may be further defined by division rule.

Amended by Chapter 117, 2012 General Session