Topeka ? The battle over whether to license naturopathic physicians in Kansas will start Monday in the Legislature.

Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, chairwoman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, has scheduled two days of hearings for opponents and supporters of the proposal.

Wagle supports a measure to license naturopathic physicians through the Kansas Board of Healing Arts, which licenses health-care providers.

Naturopathic physicians in Lawrence have spearheaded the licensing initiative, saying that without it, improperly trained naturopaths would be able to practice and endanger the public.

Naturopathy is the treatment of disease and ailments using herbs, minerals and other natural products, as well as through exercise, diet and other therapies and procedures, such as acupuncture.

Trained naturopathic doctors, called N.D.s, complete four years of college and fours years of advanced work at one of four accredited naturopathic colleges in the United States.

The Kansas Association of Osteopathic Medicine opposes the measure.

Chip Wheelan, executive director of the association, said he opposes provisions in the bill that would allow naturopathic physicians to prescribe drugs and administer intravenous medication.

But, he said, there is a wide range of opinion about naturopathy within his association.

He said there needs to be a way for the state to regulate naturopaths as a way to prevent those from practicing who are not properly trained. “Naturopaths are not going to disappear, so we might as well address it now,” he said.

The bill on naturopathy is SB 610.