After more than 60 years, Florida is moving to once again license naturopathic doctors. A bill (SB 688) has passed the Legislature and now awaits Governor Ron DeSantis’s signature. If approved, it would create a state Board of Naturopathic Medicine to help oversee practitioners. Supporters say licensing would help alleviate Florida’s severe physician shortage and give patients more choices. Critics argue naturopathy, a 19th-century philosophy focused on natural therapies like herbs, food, and psychotherapy—is not backed by science. The bill would prohibit naturopaths from prescribing drugs, performing surgery, or using anesthesia, but opponents like Tallahassee attorney Jann Bellamy warn it would permit unproven homeopathic remedies that lack FDA approval.
Twenty-four states already license naturopaths, including California and Massachusetts. Florida first licensed them in 1927 but abolished the licensing system in 1959; the last licensed naturopath in the state died in 2010. Under the new bill, naturopaths would complete four-year accredited programs, but most insurers and Medicare do not cover their care, leaving patients to pay out-of-pocket. During testimony, some lawmakers raised safety concerns. “My responsibility has to be my constituents, and I don’t want them led down a path that isn’t scientifically proven to where they might be harmed,” said Sen. Ralph Massullo Jr., a Republican and medical doctor. The bill passed the Senate 33–3 and the House 85–22, with opposition from both parties.
Supporters say licensing would actually make the field safer. Currently, because Florida has no licensing system, patients sometimes seek care from unregulated providers. One naturopath, Dr. Phuong Thach of Pensacola, described helping a patient who was injured by someone advertising as an accredited doctor after only online training. Todd Robinson, a naturopath in Jacksonville Beach who works with cancer patients, noted that referral to higher levels of care is a key part of naturopathic training. “This bill is not about replacing or undermining physicians,” said bill sponsor Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez. “It is to ensure that naturopathic practitioners are operating with clear standards, accountability and transparency.” If signed, the law would take effect December 31, 2026.
