Definitions

1   In this regulation:

"Act" means the Health Professions Act;

"compound" means

(a) in respect of a drug, to mix with one or more other ingredients, and

(b) in respect of a therapeutic diet, to mix two or more ingredients;

"dispense" has the same meaning as in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, but excludes a sale, as defined in that Act;

"drug" means, except in the definition of "substance", a drug

(a) specified in Schedule I of the Drug Schedules Regulation, B.C. Reg. 9/98, other than a drug set out in the Schedule of this regulation, or

(b) specified in Schedule II of the Drug Schedules Regulation;

"enteral instillation" means instillation directly into the gastrointestinal tract;

"minor surgery" means a surgical procedure that

(a) is performed, for a diagnostic or therapeutic purpose, on a superficial anatomical structure, and

(b) does not involve

(i) sedation, general anaesthesia or respiratory assistance, or

(ii) a material risk to life;

"naturopathic medicine" means the health profession in which a person provides the services of prevention, assessment and treatment of an individual's diseases, disorders and conditions using education and naturopathic techniques, therapies or therapeutics to stimulate or support healing processes and promote, maintain or restore the overall health of the individual;

"parenteral instillation" means instillation directly into the blood stream;

"prescribe" means to issue a prescription, as defined in the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act;

"registrant" means a registrant who is authorized under the bylaws to practise naturopathic medicine;

"substance" includes air and water, but excludes a drug specified in Schedule I, IA, II or IV of the Drug Schedules Regulation.

[am. B.C. Regs. 156/2009, s. 1; 31/2024, Sch. 3, s. 1.]

College name

2   The name of the college responsible for carrying out the objects of the Act in respect of naturopathic medicine is "College of Complementary Health Professionals of British Columbia".

[en. B.C. Reg. 31/2024, Sch. 3, s. 2.]

Reserved titles

3   (1) The following titles are reserved for exclusive use by registrants:

(a) naturopath;

(b) naturopathic physician;

(c) naturopathic doctor;

(d) physician;

(e) doctor.

(2) This section does not prevent a person from using

(a) the title "physician" or "doctor" in a manner authorized by another enactment that regulates a health profession, or

(b) an academic or educational designation that the person is entitled to use.

Scope of practice

4   A registrant may practise naturopathic medicine.

Restricted and provisional registrant classes

4.1   The college is authorized to establish, under section 19 (1) (i) of the Act, a class of

(a) restricted registrants for the purposes of section 20 (4.2) of the Act, and

(b) provisional registrants for the purposes of section 20 (4.3) of the Act.

[en. B.C. Reg. 31/2024, Sch. 3, s. 3.]

Restricted activities

5   (1) A registrant in the course of practising naturopathic medicine may do any of the following:

(a) use naturopathic techniques to make a diagnosis identifying, as the cause of signs or symptoms of an individual, a disease, disorder or condition;

(b) perform a procedure on tissue

(i) below the dermis, or

(ii) below the surface of a mucous membrane;

(c) move a joint of the spine beyond the limits the body can voluntarily achieve but within the anatomical range of motion using a high velocity, low amplitude thrust;

(d) administer a substance

(i) by injection,

(ii) by inhalation,

(iii) by irrigation,

(iv) by enteral instillation or parenteral instillation, or

(v) using a hyperbaric chamber;

(e) put an instrument or a device or finger

(i) into the external ear canal, up to the eardrum,

(ii) beyond the point in the nasal passages where they normally narrow,

(iii) beyond the opening of the urethra,

(iv) beyond the labia majora,

(v) beyond the anal verge, or

(vi) into an artificial opening into the body;

(f) put into the external ear canal, up to the eardrum, a substance that is under pressure;

(g) apply

(i) ultrasound for diagnostic or imaging purposes, including any application of ultrasound to a fetus,

(ii) electricity for the purposes of

(A) destroying tissue in the course of minor surgery, or

(B) defibrillation in the course of emergency cardiac care, or

(iii) X-rays for diagnostic or imaging purposes, excluding X-rays for the purpose of computerized axial tomography;

(h) issue an instruction or authorization for another person to perform, in respect of a named individual, a restricted activity specified in paragraph (g) (i) or (iii);

(i) in respect of a drug,

(i) prescribe the drug,

(ii) compound the drug,

(iii) dispense the drug, or

(iv) administer the drug by any method;

(j) if nutrition is administered by enteral instillation or parenteral instillation,

(i) select ingredients for a therapeutic diet,

(ii) compound a therapeutic diet, or

(iii) dispense a therapeutic diet;

(k) conduct challenge testing for allergies

(i) that involves injection, scratch tests or inhalation, if the individual being tested has not had a previous anaphylactic reaction, or

(ii) by any method, if the individual being tested has had a previous anaphylactic reaction;

(l) conduct desensitizing treatment for allergies

(i) that involves injection, scratch tests or inhalation, if the individual being tested has not had a previous anaphylactic reaction, or

(ii) by any method, if the individual being tested has had a previous anaphylactic reaction.

(2) Only a registrant may practise naturopathic medicine.

[en. B.C. Reg. 156/2009, s. 2.]

Limits or conditions on services and restricted activities

6   (1) A registrant may perform only surgery that is minor surgery.

(2) A registrant may prescribe, compound, dispense or administer a drug only if

(a) standards, limits and conditions have been established, under section 19 (1) (k) or (l) of the Act, respecting the prescribing, compounding, dispensing and administering of drugs by registrants,

(b) the standards, limits and conditions described in paragraph (a) are established on the recommendation of a committee that

(i) is established under section 19 (1) (t) of the Act, and

(ii) has the duty and power to develop, review and recommend those standards, limits and conditions, and

(c) the registrant has successfully completed a certification program established, required or approved under the bylaws to ensure that registrants are qualified and competent to prescribe, compound, dispense or administer a drug.

(3) A registrant may perform an activity described in section 5 (1) (d) (v), (k) or (l) only if

(a) standards, limits and conditions have been established, under section 19 (1) (k) or (l) of the Act, respecting the activity, and

(b) the standards, limits and conditions described in paragraph (a) are established on the recommendation of a committee that

(i) is established under section 19 (1) (t) of the Act, and

(ii) has the duty and power to develop, review and recommend those standards, limits and conditions.

[en. B.C. Reg. 156/2009, s. 3.]

Patient relations program

7   The college is designated for the purposes of section 16 (2) (f) of the Act.

Health profession corporations

8   Part 4 of the Act applies to naturopathic medicine.