STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2192

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2299

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2299 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Authorize a naturopathic physician to prescribe and administer testosterone that is consistent with naturopathic medical practice; and

 

     (2)  Clarify that narcotic drugs shall not be included within the naturopathic formulary.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Naturopathic Medicine, Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians, Pacific Integrative Medicine, and four individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, and Hawaii Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Medical Service Association.

 

     Your Committees find that naturopathic physicians provide skilled and quality care to patients throughout the State, and remain mindful of safety, appropriate prescribing, and efficacy when treating patients with natural hormones.  As a result, according to the Board of Naturopathic Medicine, the Board has taken no disciplinary matters since hormones were included in the naturopathic formulary.

 

     Your Committees further find that although naturopathic physicians have some prescriptive authority, they are unable to prescribe testosterone, a controlled substance that is consistent with the practice of naturopathic medicine.  This measure therefore authorizes a naturopathic physician to prescribe and administer testosterone, consistent with naturopathic medical practice, but specifies that narcotic drugs are not to be included within the naturopathic formulary.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the naturopathic formulary shall not include any narcotic drugs or controlled substances, other than testosterone;

 

     (2)  Inserting a savings clause; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2299, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2299, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair