Board of Naturopathy Moves Forward with Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures Rulemaking
Despite overwhelming opposition from the physician community and a division within the naturopathic community, the Washington State Board of Naturopathy voted to move forward with its years-long effort to include non-surgical cosmetic procedures within their scope of practice. The proposal was slimmed down to focus on the use of botulinum toxin. Previous iterations included the use of dermal fillers and other inert substances.
The board will likely revisit this rulemaking during a CR-102 hearing at its Feb. 10 meeting. The WSMA will attend the meeting to again share our patient safety concerns and our positions that the rulemaking is inconsistent with naturopathic medicine and that the Legislature should set a profession's scope of practice.
The board is still receiving public testimony on this issue, and we encourage physicians and physician assistants to share their opposition to the proposal by emailing susan.gragg@doh.wa.gov.
The WSMA would like to thank WSMA President Katina Rue, DO; Chris Chambers, MD; Andrea Kalus, MD; Kendra Bergstrom, MD; and Kate Impastato, MD, for delivering expert testimony on this issue, and for clearing their schedules to accommodate the meeting on short notice. We'd also like to thank the Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons, Washington Society of Plastic Surgeons, Washington State Dermatology Association, and the American Academy of Dermatology for their continued partnership on this rulemaking.
If you have questions or thoughts on this rulemaking, please contact WSMA Associate Policy Director Billie Dickinson at billie@wsma.org
| 
