HEALTH FREEDOM NEWS A Publication of National Health Freedom Coalition Spring 2004 Working to Protect Your Access to Healing Options

eing able to make your own decisions passing health freedom legislation that removes about your health and healing options is blockages to consumer access to unlicensed Bimportant. Unfortunately, laws and pub- health care practitioners. The new laws exempt lic policies have grown up in our country limit- practitioners who comply with particular ing our access to information and services. requirements from criminal charges of practic- National Health Freedom Coalition (NHFC) is ing medicine without a license. Thus many voca- working to promote access to maximum healing tions and trades that do not pose an imminent and health care options for consumers. NHFC risk of harm to the public are being returned to analyzes existing laws and public policies, public domain. Other states have introduced develops creative solutions and trains advocates similar legislation, and some are also advocating who wish to work for change. NHFC teaches cit- legislation to expand the ability of licensed prac- izens health freedom principles and the basics titioners, such as doctors, dentists, and nurses, to of organizing and mobilizing resources to make use unconventional healing methods. Change is change happen. happening rapidly! Having free access to all health care practi- Keynote speakers Clinton Miller, Jim Turner and Diane Miller, Director of Legal and Public tioners, products, services and information Diane Miller at NHFC Conference. Policy for NHFC and NHFA, says,“Our goal is to involves federal laws, state laws, and even mobilize the resources needed to address every international laws. One of the most pressing mal standards of the accepted and prevailing piece of the complex web of regulations that limit needs right now is reform of state practitioner practice for their profession. options in health and healing. That means free- regulations. Many people have historically Amazingly, prosecutions are happening even ing unlicensed healers from fear of arbitrary been unaware of the jeopardy under which when there is no evidence of harm to the public, criminal prosecution. It means giving licensed their alternative healers practice. However, in and when statements made by practitioners are healers latitude to use unconventional healing many states, under present laws, alternative truthful.You might ask,“Why can’t I have access methods for their patients. It means ensuring practitioners are at risk of being closed down to this healer? No harm has been done!” That is that substances and devices used for healing will or prosecuted. what many folks are now asking, and that is pre- be freely accessible, and that practitioners can Nearly all states have prohibitions against cisely why the health freedom movement is rip- give truthful information about them.” practicing medicine without a license, and the pling across the country in a new way, changing NHFC hopes that soon there will be a health ‘practice of medicine’ is defined so broadly that antiquated legislation to provide us with the freedom presence in all 50 states, including it includes virtually any kind of healing work. choices we need and want. knowledgeable advocates able to respond to Thus many practitioners who do not have some NHFC works hand in hand with its sister any infringement on their rights to access the form of medical license are vulnerable to crimi- organization, National Health Freedom Action, healing arts. nal prosecution. (NHFA) a lobbying group, and is instrumental in In the US, we have many freedoms that we Licensed practitioners such as doctors,nurs- providing information and resources to inde- cherish: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, es and dentists,who are offering alternative serv- pendent health freedom groups and individuals the right to assemble, and most importantly the ices, have a different problem. They risk losing in over 30 states.Already,three states,Minnesota, freedom to be in charge of our own health and their licenses for practicing outside of the mini- Rhode Island, and California, have succeeded in well-being. Our laws need to reflect these rights and protect our access to all of the kinds of NHFC 2003 First Annual Health Freedom Conference ...... 2 health care that we deem best for ourselves. Three states have new health freedom legislation ...... 3 Proposed federal legislation threatens to We would love to have you join us in our restrict your access to supplements ...... 4 efforts! If you would like to become a member, What's happening in state health freedom movements? ...... 5 go to our website at www.nationalhealthfree- Educating about Registration ...... 7 dom.org, or call 651 688 6515. Inside Health Freedom Leaders Gather First Annual National Conference for Health Freedom Advocates September 30 – November 2, 2003

n the beauteous halls of Assisi Heights, what never was, and never will be.” Miller Rochester, Minnesota, some of the finest emphasized the need to change and revise laws Iminds and most superb activists for health as a country grows and develops into new aware- National Health freedom in our country gathered for the first ness, and that we must be proactive in shaping Freedom Coalition annual Conference for Health Freedom our laws and public policies to conform with our Advocates sponsored by NHFC. emerging consciousness. THE VISION: Keynote speaker Clinton Miller, health The conference program included panels of A healthy nation, with freedom advocate for five decades, laid the health freedom leaders from 10 states who empowered people, making historical groundwork. From1962 until 1972, shared strategies for success in introducing informed health care decisions. Miller helped to resist the FDA’s proposals to health freedom legislation in their states. Other limit the potency of vitamin and mineral supple- leaders provided workshops on grass-roots The Mission: ments, and to require a doctor’s prescription for mobilization, lobbying, and fund-raising. To promote access to all health care higher potencies. Do you take for granted your Honored and inspired by the great heritage information, services, treatments and right to take 500 mg of vitamin C every morning? left by leaders before us, we were all re-commit- products that the people deem benefi- Where would we be today if it were not for heroes ted to doing our part now to address the chal- cial for their own health and survival; like Clinton Miller who fought hard to retain our lenges of this new day. to promote an understanding of the right to make that choice? laws and factors impacting the right Keynote speaker and attorney James to access; and to promote the health Turner addressed the broad picture of freedom, of the people of this nation. maintaining that “the backbone of freedom is information and choice,” and that people, given Board of Directors good information, can make the choices that are LEO CASHMAN best for them. There is a growing movement for Educator, Activist, Writer not only alternative health care, but also for non- JERRI JOHNSON, BSN toxic , alternative transportation modes, Homeopath and alternative types of education. The many DIANE MILLER, JD segments of this movement can benefit from Attorney, Writer, Activist working together for common goals. Health freedom advocate Clinton Miller and his LINDA PETERSON Attorney and keynote speaker Diane wife Bonnie. Wellness Educator Miller gave examples where old and outdat- WILLIAM LEE RAND ed laws are jeopardizing our abilities to Award Banquet Honors teacher, Author, Publisher make our own choices in our health care. Health Freedom Leaders C. NORMAN SHEALY, MD, PHD, Currently Director of Legal and Public Policy Health Freedom Leadership Awards were Founder, American Holistic Med. Assoc. for NHFC, Miller described the Lilly Rott case given to the following leaders for outstanding in Oklahoma where four children have been contribution to health freedom: NHFC is a 501©3 educational taken away from their parents by child protec- Clinton Miller has advocated and lobbied nonprofit organization tion because the parents took their daughter for over five decades to protect our health free- with leukemia to a Switzerland Cancer Hospital doms. Miller was instrumental in drafting and PMD 218, 2136 Ford Parkway for care instead of staying in the American hos- lobbying the Proxmire Vitamin Bill, which pre- St. Paul, MN 55116-1863 pital. Billy Best is a young man who had cancer vented the FDA from limiting potency on vita- www.nationalhealthfreedom.com and who used the supplement 714X from mins unless they were found to be intrinsically email: [email protected] Canada; but now the US government is not dangerous, and also in the passage of the Dietary Phone: 651-690-0732 allowing 714X to be brought across the border Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) into the United States; and a nurse in Wisconsin of 1994. N EWSLETTER AND OTHER GRAPHIC SERVICES BY who was helping people with NAET allergy Jim Turner,Esq., is founder and President of Sundancer Graphics testing was charged with practicing medicine Citizens for Health, a national consumer organi- without a license. zation.Turner was a leader in passage of DSHEA, YOUR ON-CALL, OFF-SITE GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT 509.999.3016 [email protected] Having recently spent an afternoon at the which ensured all Americans access to natural Jefferson Memorial, she read from the words of substances such as vitamins and herbs. Turner Visit www.sundancergraphics.com for Thomas Jefferson,“If a nation expects to be igno- has represented mercury-free dentists before cool greeting cards, prints, gifts and more. rant and free in a state of civilization, it expects Continued on page 4 2

Three Recently Passed Health Freedom Bills hree states have recently passed legislation Because of the severe budgetary constraints in behind one’s method of treatment. that returns the healing arts to the public California, the CHFC pursued an interesting and In combination, these requirements serve to Tdomain when there is not an imminent somewhat technical legislative strategy - a strategy protect patients while allowing for maximum risk of significant harm to the public. These new that carried no costs to the state.Instead of creating health freedom. And the bill is only two pages laws help to protect the rights of consumers to an explicit governmental organization to monitor long! This approach turned out to be a highly have access to the practitioners of their choice. and control alternative practitioners as Minnesota successful one. Not a single legislator voted did, SB577 simply modifies California’s medical against SB577; it passed unanimously in both the Minnesota Statute 146A practice act so that only those practices that pose a Assembly and Senate, and the entire campaign, Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform clear potential risk to the client are restricted,. from beginning to end, was under two years. Project mobilized to promote groundbreaking Anyone who provides a therapy that does not vio- Several other states are now using California’s bill legislation in 2000. This bill exempted unli- late these restrictions can no longer be prosecuted as their legislative model. censed practitioners from criminal charges of under the medical practice act and cannot be SB577 passed before California’s new practice of medicine without a license when accused of practicing medicine without a license. licensing bill for naturopathic doctors (SB907) their services do not rise to the level of creating Actually, SB577 imposes both negative and passed in the fall of 2003, so the proponents of an imminent risk of significant harm. Certain positive requirements on unlicensed health-care SB907 worked to make their Naturopathic activities (such as dispensing legend drugs or practitioners. The negative constraints clearly Doctor bill successfully interface with SB577 to controlled substances, telling people to go off spell out those things that are reserved for protect the freedoms won by SB577. A specific their prescribed medical treatments,puncturing licensed practitioners, such as surgery,radiation, clause was added to SB907 to preserve the the skin) are prohibited. The new law created an harmfully invading the body, making recom- rights won under SB577 for all alternative prac- office of government oversight, not to make mendations vis-a-vis prescription drugs, setting titioners in rules regarding education, training, or standard fractures, or doing anything that causes risk of California. In addition, language was added to of care, but to respond to and investigate con- great physical or mental harm. The positive protect the rights of traditional naturopathic prac- sumer complaints when needed. It listed requirements compel practitioners to provide titioners to use the title “naturopath”.The CHFC is grounds for disciplinary action regarding pro- disclosure to their clients: that one is not a continuing their work in monitoring and protect- fessional conduct, and required practitioners to licensed physician and that one’s healing practice ing health freedom in California. For more infor- give their clients a Client Bill of Rights, which is not licensed by the state, their training and mation, visit www.californiahealthfreedom.org. includes, among other things, disclosure of their experience, and a description of the rationale —By Amy Lansky education and training.

Rhode Island Health Freedom Bill Rhode Island passed its health freedom bill for access to unlicensed practitioners in 2001. According to Boyd Landry, of the Coalition for Natural Health, (CNH) this bill was a combined effort of the Rhode Island Medical Society and CNH,and was patterned after the bill that passed in Minnesota. HB 6719b, authored by Rep. Corveci, supported by the Department of Health, and then finally the legislature and governor,was Leaders from California Jenn Doolin and John Boyd Landry, Executive Director of Coalition for a way to protect consumer access an d practition- Melnychuk receive NHFC award. Natural Health promoted RI health freedom law. ers. The health freedom movement is grateful to CNH for their great work in this process.

California’s Successful Bid for Health Freedom: SB577 On September 23, 2002, California governor Gray Davis signed SB577, a health freedom bill sponsored by the California Health Freedom Coalition (CHFC). Effective January 2003, California joined Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Idaho, in allowing unlicensed alternative health care practitioners to lawfully practice without (Left to Right) Minnesota activists Diane Miller, Nancy Hone, Jerri Johnson, Eleanor Schultz, violating the state’s medical practice act. LaDonna Gammel, Leo Cashman, Jeff Coult, Marilyn Beyer and Greg Schmidt. 3 New Proposed Federal Bill Threatens to Restrict Access to

Dietary Supplements National Health n 1994, millions of consumers contacted appears to be “gathering steam.” S722 is present- Freedom Action Congress urging support for the Dietary ed as a “safety”bill - promising to safeguard con- ISupplement Health & Education Act sumers from unsafe dietary supplements - but it The Mission: (DSHEA), the regulatory framework for dietary does not. Instead, says CFH, the bill: To promote access to all health care infor- supplements. This regulation appropriately pro- • Restricts access to supplements used by mil- mation, services, treatments and products tects consumer access to a wide range of benefi- lions for better health that the people deem beneficial for their cial health products and puts the burden of proof • Increases health care costs and decreases own health and survival; to promote leg- on the FDA to show harm to consumers before consumer choices islative reform of the laws impacting the our access is denied. Now Senate Bill 722 threat- • Subjects supplements to an unnecessary right to access; and to promote the health ens to alter DSHEA and to remove safe products higher standard of scrutiny than most over- of the people of this nation. from market shelves and restrict your right to the-counter medicines and food additives access the dietary supplements of your choice. • Questions the safety and potentially restricts Board of Directors NHFC Legal and Public Policy Director says access to any that receives JERRI JOHNSON, that the most harmful aspect of this bill is the way even one complaint, legitimate or not. BSN, Homeopath that it impacts the role of government in our soci- • Provides no more protection for consumers MARYLU MILLER ety. “This bill would force the consumers to lose than the current law-DSHEA-already pro- Homeopath, Teacher access immediately because manufacturers could vides. The FDA has simply failed to fully CLINTON MILLER be investigated and requested to financially lay implement the existing law. Health Freedom Advocate out the funds to prove safety of a substance if as Congress needs to hear from you! If you rely WILLIAM LEE RAND little as one complaint comes in from any source, on vitamin and mineral supplements for better Reiki teacher, Author, Publisher instead of holding the government accountable health and want to protect your right to personal CAROL VEDRA in its role of burden of proof to prove substantial health choice,TAKE ACTION TODAY! Send a letter Freedom Worker harm to consumers through verified and investi- to your Senators and Representative. Ask them to BONITA JOY YODER gated complaints before access is denied. uphold DSHEA and preserve access to natural, Attorney, Mediator, Coach According to Ana Micka, President and CEO safe and affordable products! You can go to the of Citizens for Health, (CFH) a consumer-based CFH website and easily send a message,written by NHFA is a 501©4 nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., this bill CFH, to your senators. www.citizens.org/. lobbying organization. Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2003 (S. Announcing Second Annual 722) ( Sen Durbin, IL) PMD 218, 2136 Ford Pkwy Health Freedom Conference! Dietary Supplement Access and Awareness St. Paul, MN 55116-1863 2004 National Conference for Act (H.R. 3377)(Rep. Davis, CA) www.nationalhealthfreedom.com Health Freedom Advocates —This article paid for by National Health Freedom email: [email protected] September 10-12, 2004 Action, a 501©4 nonprofit organization. I Phone: 651-690-0732 At the beautiful Carondelet Center, St. Paul, MN Continued from page 2 cific guidelines from criminal charges of practic- Keynote Speakers: licensing boards, and represented organic farm- ing medicine without a license. DR.NORM SHEALY,MD,Founder of ers in lobbying for passage of the Organic Food Boyd Landry and the Coalition for American Holistic Medical Association Production Act of 1990. Natural Health (CNH) were honored for helping FORMER CONGRESSMAN BERKELY BEDELL, Founder Calvin Johnson, Esq., lead defense attorney to pass health freedom legislation similar to of National Foundation for in Minnesota’s State v. Saunders, successfully Minnesota’s in Rhode Island.CNH is dedicated to DIANE MILLER, JD, NHFC, Director defended Herb Saunders from criminal charges protecting every citizen’s right to natural health of Legal and Public Policy, NHFC of “practice of medicine without a license.” freedom of choice. Saunders provided colostrum from his farm to California Health Freedom Coalition, repre- Come meet health freedom advocates from people who were ill and who desired it in order to sented by John Melnychuk and Jen Doolin,exhib- across the country! Learn to be an effective boost their immune systems. ited great teamwork to initiate and bring to passage advocate for health freedom principles! The Minnesota Natural Health Legal California SB577, health freedom legislation that To receive an invitation to this conference, Reform Project initiated and worked to pass exempts unlicensed health care practitioners who email [email protected] groundbreaking legislation that exempts unli- follow specific guidelines from criminal charges of www.nationalhealthfreedom.org censed health care practitioners who follow spe- practicing medicine without a license. I 4

Independent State Health Freedom Groups Take Action! by Diane Miller JD, Director of Legal and Public Policy for NHFC and NHFA Copyrights reserved NHFA 2004

he health freedom movement is growing logarithmically. A very impressive and Tsuccessful arm of the movement is the effort to free up consumer access to the many kinds of healers and health care practitioners that offer complementary or alternative care. This is being accomplished by independent health freedom groups around the country that are creating new laws that bring the practitioner rights back into the public domain. Consumers are absolutely demanding that they have access to any individual that they want and any information they desire when they are making health care choices. Historically many practitioners were prohibited from practicing due to outdated state laws, which made all of healing a crime unless you were a licensed med- ical professional. Even if a practitioner was a licensed medical practitioner, they could lose Deborah Miller, President of Florida Health Freedom Coalition and their lobbyist, Brecht Heuchan their license for practicing outside of the prevail- at the Florida Capitol. ing standards of medical care. Now this is all changing as state health free- Here is a summary of some of the state activ- interest and success. Senator Campbell will pro- dom groups are going forward to exempt practi- ity underway: mote SB 1474 in the Senate at it’s first official tioners from the old laws and advocating for the hearing on Tuesday March 9th. passage of new laws that allow unlicensed and Florida: Florida Health Freedom Coalition licensed practitioners to practice the broad range and Action are successfully promoting health Georgia: CAMA Complementary and of healing arts as long as they have not been freedom legislation in Florida. SF 1474 and HB Alternative Medical Association. of Georgia has shown to pose an imminent risk of significant 801 has been introduced and referred to commit- been a leader in the country in educating the harm to the public, thus not warranting police tees.Representative Garcia held an informational public about complementary and alternative power regulation. workshop in the House in February with great forms of healing, holding statewide and regional conferences. House Bill 1040 has been intro- duced this session and is entitled the “State States that have freedom of access bills already introduced and moving Planning For Increased Community Access Act”. Marge Roberts,their President,continues to edu- STATE CONTACT BILLS cate and gave a great presentation on grassroots Florida FHFC & FHFA www.floridahealthfreedom.org HB 801 (Garcia) lobbying in November 2003, at the first annual [email protected] SB 1474 (Campbell) Health Freedom Conference in Minnesota. Georgia CAMAction, 404-284-7592 HB 1040 (Smith) Website: www.CAMAction.org and www.camaweb.org Hawaii: Representative Cynthia Evans intro- Email: [email protected] duced HB 2036 that allows unlicensed practi- Hawaii Representative Cynthia Evans, Phone: 808-586-8510 HB 2036 (Evans, tioners of health-related services to provide serv- E-mail: [email protected] Tamayo, Wakai) ices. Hawaii currently has exemptions to the www.capitol.Hawaii.gov/site1/house medical practice act for traditional Hawaiian Iowa Iowa Health Freedom Coalition, Larry: 319-269-6343 HF 477 (Hatch) healing practices by traditional native Hawaiian David: 641-469-3289, Jon: 515-244-8535, E-mail: [email protected] SF (Fallon) healers, both as recognized and certified as such Website: http://www.iowahealthfreedom.org by a panel convened by Papa Ola Lokahi. Hawaii Kentucky Representative Mary Harper HB 181 (Harper) also has licensed naturopaths. Most recently we http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/House/hseadd.htm heard that the bill was not heard in committee. Washington 541-504-7562 [email protected] HB 2355 (Hinkle & Dickerson) Continued on page 6 5

Continued from page 5 Congratulations Iowa for a job well done. IHFC sures. The bill is modeled in part on California’s Iowa: Iowa Health Freedom Coalition is a has a great website,a 15 minute video of Berkley 2002 SB 577 and in part on new language. Latest young strong health freedom group moving fast. Bedell supporting their bills, and a colorful and word is that the committee chair did not put this SF294 and HF477 were introduced this session informative power point presentation that they bill on for hearing. Advocates are continuing to after a summer informational hearing spon- developed themselves to educate the public plan for the next session. sored by the Senate. In late February,Committee regarding the need for health freedom. Chair Representative Boeddiger held a New York: In the past two years New York has Subcommittee public meeting and Iowan’s Kentucky: Representative Mary Harper has had health freedom legislation introduced but no packed the meeting room to voice their support. introduced HB 181, a health freedom bill mod- action was taken on these bills. They now expect Concerns were aired by the medical lobbyists in eled in some areas after California’s 2002 SB to introduce a new bill, which would require that response to support testimony by freedom advo- 577. Lexington, Kentucky holds wonderful all alternative health care practitioners in the cates. On March 2nd the bill came up for vote in wellness centers and an active healing arts State of New York register with a state govern- the House full Committee and advocates packed community. ment office (Consumer Affairs) before they prac- the room once again. The bill was voted down by tice the healing arts in New York. NHFA does not a 2-vote margin after a special party caucus to Washington: HB2355 would exempt unli- support the concept of registration for unli- assess the votes. Iowa health freedom leaders censed practitioners from criminal charges of censed practitioners of the healing arts. (See will continue their great work in the future. unlicensed practice of the licensed health profes- Article in this newsletter on registration). Friendly legislators have stated an interest in sions in Washington if they practice within cer- National Health Freedom Action will neither sup- continuing to move the bill in future sessions. tain parameters and comply with certain disclo- port nor actively oppose New York’s registration bill if it goes forward but rather it will educate the Bills requiring Registration of Unlicensed Practitioners: (See Article on the differences public on the health freedom vision and educate between registration and health freedom legislative language) on the difference between registration and health freedom legislation and its impact on the public STATE CONTACT BILLS New York New York Natural and Complementary Practices Project North Carolina: In the 2003 North Carolina leg- Newyorknaturalhealthproject.org [email protected] islative session the Citizens for Health Care North Carolina CHF (North Carolina): [email protected] Freedom and Carolina Health freedom Website: www.citizensforhealthcarefreedom.org HB 923 (Luebke) Coalition, promoted a health freedom bill for access to unlicensed practitioners. Revisions in session included a registration component being State Organizations In Drafting Stages of Health Freedom Bills: (State groups and legisla- added that was not part of the original bill. The tors preparing draft language and communicating with sponsors for introduction of health freedom bills) bill is still alive and on hold in the Health Subcommittee and no action has been taken. STATES PROMOTERS OF LEGISLATION CONTACT INFORMATION NHFC expects that 2004 will involve more edu- Michigan Michigan Health Freedom Coalition Phone: 989-779-0730 cating of legislators and grassroots organizing New Jersey New Jersey Natural Health Coalition Email: [email protected] web: www.njnhc.org and introduction of a better health freedom bill Wisconsin Wisconsin Health Freedom Coalition Email: [email protected] website:www.wifhc.com in the future. North Carolina leaders are very optimistic and mobilizing consumers through- out the state to support their efforts. (See Article State Organizations and Groups Laying Ground-work for Health Freedom on differences of health freedom legislation and Legislation: (Citizen health freedom groups and organizations actively working and considering registration legislation). options for introduction of health freedom legislation) The following states have significant leaders STATES NAME OR TYPE OF GROUP CONTACT INFORMATION and contacts ready to start health freedom Arkansas Arkansas Health Freedom Coalition Phone: 479-637-4361 or 479-637-4441 groups: Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Email: [email protected] www.arhfc.org Missouri,Montana,Ohio,Pennsylvania,Utah,and Kansas Kansas for Health Freedom 866-899-7905 (24/7) [email protected] Vermont. Call NHFC for contact information. If Massachusetts Health Freedom Action Massachusetts, Inc www.healthfreedommassachusetts.org you are from a state not yet organized,and want to 617-731-5510 network with other individuals interested in New Hampshire New Hampshire Citizens for Health Gerhard Bedding 603-355-2202 health freedom, contact us, giving us permission E-mail: gbedding @earthlink.net to give out your name to others who contact us. Texas Texas citizen group [email protected] or [email protected] New Mexico New Mexico citizen group The following states have health freedom Virginia Virginia Chapter of Certified E-mail: [email protected] laws: California, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Natural Health Professionals and Rhode Island. I 6

National Health Freedom Educating about Registration by Diane Miller JD

ational Health Freedom Coalition does as many healers as possible. The architecture health choices as they see fit, and the freedom not support the concept of government- of legislative language is simple in that it cre- of all citizens to practice their vocations, Nmandated registration or required per- ates an exemption to current regulatory health trades, and occupations. mits imposed on unlicensed health care practice acts and allows healers to practice Where fundamental constitutional freedoms providers. This brief article is written to educate freely where the government has not shown are impacted, such as the privacy right to choose our readers as to our understanding of this issue that an occupation poses an imminent risk of ones own health care, the government must use and we hope that it is helpful and clarifying. significant harm to the public. The models are the least restrictive means of regulation that The goal of Consumer Health Freedom of based on fundamental health freedoms: the impacts that right. Registration is overly restric- Access law is to maximize consumer access to freedom of the citizens to make their own Continued on page 8

Support the Health Freedom Work of NHFC! With your financial support, the National Health Freedom Coalition can educate health freedom leaders nationwide, and work to create solid solutions that ensure your access to all of the healing arts. Together, we can protect your right to investigate every possible health choice when you are making decisions about your health.

Become a Health Freedom Champion! — Join the 1000 Health Freedom Champions Campaign NHFC is looking for 1000 Health Freedom Champions who will commit to donating $250 or more per year to support the work of NHFC. To become a Health Freedom Champion, send your gift of $250 today! You will receive our newsletter, Health Freedom News. If you wish, a portion of your dona- tion can include a one-year membership in NHFC.

Become a Member of NHFC! Please join the growing number of citizens who support health freedom by becoming members of NHFC. Your membership gift of $35 or more enti- tles you to receive our newsletter, Health Freedom News. Complete the following form and join us today!

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NHFC is a 501©3 non-profit educational organization. Your contributions may be tax-deductible for charitable giving purposes. National Health Freedom Coalition, PMB 218, 2136 Ford Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55116-1863 Phone (651)690-0732 website: www.nationalhealthfreedom.org

7 Continued from page 7 that consumers have access to every trade with- It is extremely important that Health tive. Consumer Freedom of Access legislation is out restriction. Government involvement of Freedom legislation is understood as an exemp- less restrictive, and allows healers to practice identifying, managing, or mandating acts before tion to privileged licensing laws and not consid- freely, at the same time putting in place public an individual can act needs to be grounded in ered another form of regulation or credentialing. laws that address important public policy con- constitutional principles. It is not a “privilege”to practice these trades. It is cerns regarding healing professions. It does not Mandatory registration or permit require- a “right”. assume that the government has jurisdiction ments negatively impact consumers’ access. NHFC believes that health freedom laws are over all healing arts providers just because they They will lose legal access to healing practition- a common sense-solution to a long-term prob- practice healing. Rather health freedom laws ers who do not sign up and pay fees. Costs to lem of consumer access to unlicensed assume that unlicensed providers are in the pub- consumers increase because government providers, and to the turf wars between lic domain and free to practice their trades as expends funds and because practitioners pass providers. The less restrictive health freedom long as the government has not shown that it has on fees to clients.Mis-use of the title “registered” bills create important legal reform to promote a reason to regulate. by practitioners, to establish credibility, can the free access to and free practice of a broad Unlike licensed health care professional laws cause misrepresentation to consumers. Negative range of healers that have not been shown to where the police power of the government has impact on practitioners exists as well. They pose a public risk. We believe that this type of been invoked to confer a privilege on a particular must sign up with the government and pay a fee solution will promote a strong, free, and diverse occupation to do potentially harmful acts, and before acting. They find themselves under the culture. It will free up the government from provides that group with protection if they abide jurisdiction of an agency where there are future unnecessary regulation. It will bring back heal- by a set of mandated standards and training, the risks of additional regulation through rulemak- ing into the public domain. And the disclosure health freedom legislation provides a legal ing, such as random inspections or mandatory will promote empowered and informed citizens exemption to licensing acts based on the lack of education. There is the risk that the registration who will be able to communicate among their need for regulation where there has been no law will be converted to an exclusive profession- conventional health care providers about the showing of imminent risk of harm to the public. al licensing law. Registration could also cause a wonderful wellness techniques and practition- Our country has a belief that individuals can practitioner to lose their right to the defense of ers they are using to gain health. I practice their trades or occupations freely and lack of jurisdiction should a person be detained.

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National Health Freedom Coalition PMB 218, 2136 Ford Parkway St. Paul, MN 55116-1863

R ETURN S ERVICE R EQUESTED

• NHFC 2003 First Annual Health Freedom Conference • Three states have new health freedom legislation • Proposed federal legislation threatens to restrict your access to supplements • What's happening in state health freedom movements? • Educating about Registration Inside