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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
naturopathic physicians; drug administration
Purpose
Allows a naturopathic physician, by expanding the definition of drug, to intravenously administer antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals.
Background
Naturopathic physicians are licensed and regulated by the Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board (Board). The practice of naturopathic medicine is a medical system of diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries, ailments, infirmities and other conditions of the human mind and body, including by natural means, drugless methods, drugs, nonsurgical methods, devices, physical, electrical, hygienic and sanitary measures and all forms of physical agents and modalities.
Naturopathic physicians may dispense a natural substance, a drug, except a schedule II controlled substance that is an opioid, or a device to a patient for a condition that is being diagnosed or treated by the physician if: 1) the physician is certified to dispense by the Board without suspensions or revocation; 2) the natural substance, drug or device is dispensed and properly labeled with outlined information; 3) the dispensing physician enters into the patient's medical record the name and strength of the natural substance, drug or device dispensed, the dispense date and the therapeutic reason; 4) the dispensing physician keeps all prescription-only drugs, controlled substances and prescription-only devices in a secured cabinet or room, controls access to the cabinet or room and maintains an ongoing inventory of its contents.
Under the Naturopathic
Physicians Statute, the term drug excludes: 1) the intravenous
administration of prescription drugs, except for vitamins, chelation therapy, drugs
used in emergency resuscitation and stabilization, minerals and nutrients; 2) controlled
substances listed as schedule I or II controlled substances, except morphine,
any drug that is reclassified from schedule III to schedule II after January 1,
2014 and any homeopathic preparations that are also controlled substances; 3) cancer
chemotherapeutics classified as prescription drugs; and
4) antipsychotics (A.R.S. §§ 32-1501
and 32-1581).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Expands the definition of drug, under the naturopathic physicians statute, to include the intravenous administration of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals.
2. Redefines approved school of naturopathic medicine or school of naturopathic medicine as a school, college or university determined by the Board to have a degree-granting, doctoral-level naturopathic medical educational program that requires didactic and supervised clinical training and that, on successful completion, results in the awarding of the degree of doctor of naturopathic medicine and whose course of study is any of the following:
a) accredited or a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or a successor or comparable accrediting agency;
b) provided by an institution of higher education that is accredited or a candidate for accreditation by an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or its successor, or any comparable federally recognized national quality-assurance body; or
c) from a diploma-granting, degree-equivalent institution of higher education in Canada that offers a full-time, structured curriculum in basic sciences and supervised patient care comprising a doctoral naturopathic medical education that requires at least 132 weeks of coursework to be completed within a period of 30 months, that is in good standing with the Board and that has programmatic accreditation by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or a successor or comparable accrediting agency.
3. Requires a naturopathic physician who wishes to administer intravenous antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals, in addition to the 10 hours of continuing medical education that is directly related to pharmacotherapeutics, to complete:
a) as a prerequisite to certification, Board-approved coursework for certification that provides a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals and clinical applications of intravenous therapy that includes the basics of intravenous therapy, indications and contraindications, intravenous therapy techniques, complications and management, specialized applications and evidence-based practice, except a naturopathic physician who has completed equivalent Board-approved coursework is exempt; and
b) a two-hour continuing medical education program to receive certification to administer intravenous antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals.
4. Requires the Board to adopt rules necessary for the safe administration of intravenous drugs.
5. Makes technical changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
1. Redefines approved school of naturopathic medicine or school of naturopathic medicine.
2. Requires a naturopathic physician who wishes to administer intravenous antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals to take additional outlined coursework and educational programs.
3. Requires the Board to adopt rules necessary for the safe administration of intravenous drugs.
4. Makes technical and conforming changes.
Senate Action House Action
RAGE 2/4/26 DP 4-3-0 HHS 3/16/26 DPA 7-4-1-0
3rd Read 3/2/26 17-12-1 3rd Read 6/11/26 37-20-3
Prepared by Senate Research
June 11, 2026
JT/NRG/ci