Hands on Healing Laws in Florida

About 38 percent of adults--around four in 10--in the United States and 12 percent of the children use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, non-vitamin, non-mineral natural products are the most commonly used. Florida statute Title 32, Chapter 457.101, indicates that the legislature regulates alternative medical practices to ensure safety while "making this healing art available to those who seek it."

Acupuncture

• Chapter 457 of the Florida statutes addresses acupuncture practitioners in the state. A qualified applicant is at least 21 years old, speaks English and of good moral character.

  Educational requirements include completion of a four-year acupuncture and oriental medicine course that includes western anatomy, pathology, physiology and biomedical terminology.

  The state conducts certification examinations to test the knowledge and skills required to practice modern and traditional acupuncture and oriental medicine, including diagnostic and treatment techniques.

Naturopathy

• According to Chapter 462 of the statutes, Naturopathy is the use and practice of material, mechanical and psychological health sciences for cleansing, purifying and normalizing human tissues for the restoration or preservation of health. Techniques include dietetics, suggestotherapy, phytotherapy, hydrotherapy, biochemistry, psychotherapy, electrotherapy, zone therapy, heliotherapy and mechanotherapy.

  Naturopathic physicians are prohibited from using drugs to treat diseaseor performing surgery or chiropractic medicine.

  The state requires completion of a two-day educational program conducted by the Florida Naturopathic Physicians Association, Inc., or equivalent before the biennial license renewal.

  Violations of the regulations governing naturopathic physicians is a third degree felony.

Massage

• Chapter 480 of Florida's statutes indicates that the practice of massage therapy is "potentially dangerous to the public in that massage therapists must have a knowledge of anatomy and physiology and an understanding of the relationship between the structure and the function of the tissues being treated and the total function of the body."

  Massage therapists also perform colonic irrigation. Colonic irrigation uses hydrotherapy to cleanse the colon.

  To apply for a massage-therapy license, Florida requires completion of an approved massage school or apprenticeship program. The applicant must pass the license examination.

  Massage establishments must be licensed and meet safety and sanitary requirements.

Hypnosis

• In Chapter 485, the Florida legislature acknowledges that hypnosis is another method of the treatment of "injury, disease and illness, both mental and physical."

  By law, only dentists, podiatrists, chiropractors, optometrists and physicians are authorized to use hypnosis for hypnoanesthesia or to sooth anxiety related to a procedure. Use of hypnosis for neurotic difficulties by these practitioners is prohibited.

  If the practitioner refers the patient to another qualified person for hypnosis, the practitioner is responsible for injuries or damages that result from incompetence of the individual to whom the patient was referred.