by ken winston caine

New Mexico’s “health-freedom” Senate Bill 18 got bumped off the rails just as it was picking up speed, due to some behind-the-scenes political maneuvering.

The New Mexico Medical Board had vowed to stop the act which would have clarified that traditional, cultural, complementary and alternative healing are not subject to regulation by state licensing boards. But the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected the Medical Board arguments and sent the bill to the Senate floor with a “do pass” recommendation.

And while the bill was on the Senate agenda to be debated in several sessions, it was never heard.

Wynn Werner, one of the driving forces behind the legislation and a founder of the New Mexico Complementary and Alternative Medicine Project which promoted it, explained, in this memo: (more…)

by Ken Winston Caine

New Mexico is on track to enact the second simplest and shortest health-freedom, right-to-practice act for non-licensed providers in the United States.

Oklahoma has the shortest. It is contained in two sentences in that state’s medical practices act:

1. “It is the intent that this act shall apply only to allopathic and surgical practices and to exclude any other healing practices.” and

2. “Nothing in the Oklahoma Allopathic Medical and Surgical Licensure and Supervision Act shall prohibit services rendered by any person not licensed by the Board and practicing any nonallopathic healing practice.”

New Mexico’s proposed act is being shepherded by a small group calling themselves the New Mexico Complementary and Alternative Medicine Project and has been bankrolled primarily by The Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque.

Its bill proposing an amendment to the state’s Uniform Licensing Code cleared its last committee hurdle in the New Mexico Senate last night, being passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 5-2 vote to the full Senate for debate.

The language moving forward says simply:

“C. Nothing in the Uniform Licensing Act (more…)

by Jenifer Shapiro

Holistic Practitioners are holistic healing professionals with a gift in one or more areas of healing. From bodyworkers to homeopaths to hypnotherapists, the term holistic practitioner has become one that is often challenging to describe or understand. Hopefully this article will provide you with some clarity on what a holistic practitioner is and how to find one that meets your individual needs.

Saying “holistic practitioner” is similar to saying “doctor.” While there are general practitioners that cross along many paths, most specialize in one or more holistic methods or areas. The main areas of specialization are (more…)