Topeka ? Associations representing medical and osteopathic doctors Monday voiced opposition to the licensing of naturopathic physicians.

Jerry Slaughter, executive director of the Kansas Medical Society, said proposed licensing legislation failed to clearly state what naturopaths would be allowed to do.

“Our concern with this bill is that it contains a scope of practice that goes well beyond natural therapies and is sufficiently vague to rule almost nothing out,” Slaughter told the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.

Chip Wheelan, executive director of the Kansas Assn. of Osteopathic Medicine, also testified against the bill.

The committee is holding two days of hearings. Today’s testimony will be from supporters.

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

The bill would license trained naturopathic doctors who complete four years of college and four years of advanced work at one of four accredited naturopathic colleges in the United States.

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

But Slaughter and Wheelan said Monday that there were too many contradictions in the bill before the committee.

One provision would prohibit naturopathic doctors from prescribing drugs, but another part of the bill would allow them to do so, they said. Also, one part of the bill prohibits them from using anesthetics, but another seems to allow it.

Wheelan said naturopathic physicians claim to receive substantially the same kind of education and training as doctors of medicine or doctors of osteopathy.

“If indeed that is the case, these individuals are eligible to apply for a license to practice medicine and surgery, and (the bill) is entirely unnecessary,” Wheelan said.

The bill to license naturopaths is SB 610.