STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2608

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2299

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2299, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs 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 and other controlled substances besides testosterone, shall not be included within the naturopathic formulary.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Service Association, Maui Regenerative Medicine, Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians, Board of Naturopathic Medicine, and nine individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Medical Association.

 

     Your Committee finds 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.  Your Committee further finds 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.  Controlled substances such as testosterone have been included in the prescriptive authority for naturopathic physicians in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington.  This measure therefore authorizes a naturopathic physician to prescribe and administer testosterone, consistent with naturopathic medical practice, but specifies that other narcotic drugs and controlled substances shall not to be included within the naturopathic formulary.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2035, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2299, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2299, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

________________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair