Alternative medicine proposal protests continue

RENO - A Nevada Board of Medical Examiners attorney says proposed regulations would prompt thousands of conventional doctors to offer new types of treatment that could benefit patients.

Richard Legarza told about 20 people who attended a hearing - all in opposition to the regulations - that the rules would let the state's 3,000 medical doctors practice ''integrative medicine.'' That's a catchall term for alternative treatments such as homeopathy, nutrition, acupuncture and other nonmainstream treatments.

''The board is telling its licensees there are things out there that physicians are doing, in addition to cutting someone open and removing something,'' Legarza said Friday.

''They are suggesting diet, Vitamin C, a multitude of different things. The regulations are an attempt to encourage licensees to engage in that practice of medicine.''

But homeopathic doctors, chiropractors and private citizens all complained that conventional doctors lack the training necessary to engage in alternative medicine.

''There is no requirement that your licensees possess any type of training in these fields,'' said Mary Marsh Linde, a lawyer for the Homeopathic and Integrative Medical Association.

After the meeting, Linde said she suspects the real motive of the medical board is to allow its licensed doctors to capture some of the $16 billion Americans spend each year on alternative medicine.

She added the medical board has an obligation to protect the public from doctors who lack skills in the new fields.

But Legarza questioned the type of training homeopathic physicians receive. He asked Linde to name a college where doctors can receive homeopathic training, and she could not identify one.

The proposed regulations clearly have set off a turf war between the Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Homeopathic Medical Examiners. The latter board regulates homeopaths who, under their own new rules, can offer just about any type of alternative treatment.

Legarza has vowed to go to the Legislature to block final approval of the homeopath rules. All regulations adopted by state boards eventually must be approved by the Legislature.

The regulations discussed Friday could be adopted by the Board of Medical Examiners during an Aug. 26 meeting in Reno.