Regulation
Bill 171
The OAND presented their submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy on the needed improvements to Bill 171 which is the omnibus bill that includes the Naturopathy and Homeopathy Act. Our presentation and written submission are now available online.
Prescribing Selling Dispensing Compound
More Protection, Choice and Improved Healthcare for Ontarians: OAND Comments on Health System Improvement Bill
Toronto (December 12, 2006) Ontarians can expect better access to high quality healthcare when the Health System Improvement Act comes into effect, according to the organization representing Ontario’s naturopathic doctors (NDs). The changes introduced in this bill will improve the regulation of NDs, offering important support and protection for Ontarians who choose complementary healthcare. MoreTo view the OAND's backgrounder, A Snapshot of Naturopathic Medicine in Ontario, click here.
Bill 171, the Health System Improvement Act, had first reading on December 12, and has now been posted on the Ontario Legislature website. The Legislative website has a webpage dedicated to the Bill, including the legislation itself, statements from the Minister and opposition, background information and related resources, including the press release from the OAND.
www.ontla.on.ca/library/bills/382/171382.htm
Bill 171 is an omnibus Bill, addressing a wide range of issues, including the Naturopathy and Homeopathy Act found in Schedule P which proposes improved regulation for naturopathic doctors. The Bill itself can be found here:
www.ontla.on.ca/documents/Bills/38_Parliament/session2/b171.pdf
For a decade, the OAND has lobbied each successive provincial government to improve the regulation of the naturopathic profession.
We are now very close to achieving that objective: on April 27, 2006, the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Committee (HPRAC) advised Ontario’s Minister of Health that naturopathic doctors and the practice of naturopathic medicine should be regulated under the Regulated Health Professions Act.
Read the HPRAC report, Regulation of Health Professions in Ontario: New Directions here.
What is the benefit of improved regulation?
Improved regulation should have significant benefits for current and prospective patients of naturopathic doctors, Ontario naturopathic doctors and for Ontario’s healthcare system as a whole.Read the OAND's letter to current and prospective patients of naturopathic doctors here.
Research
Want to find out what the public thinks about naturopathic medicine? Click here.Fully 40 percent of Ontarians – or 5,000,000 potential patients – say they are likely to
see a naturopathic doctor (ND) in the next few years, according to recent public opinion research done
for the Coalition for Naturopathic Medicine.
The study was conducted by Innovative Research Group through random digit dialing telephone interviews among a representative sample of 602 English speaking Ontarians, 18 years of age or older. The interviews were conducted between March 17th and March 23rd, 2006. Up to eight call-backs were made in the case of non-response. Using data from Statistics Canada, the results were weighted according to region, age and gender to ensure a sample representative of the entire Ontario adult population. In the end, the maximum margin of error obtained for a sample of 602 respondents is ± 4.0%, 19 times out of 20.
To view the full polling questionnaire and response data, click here.
