Prescription rights are a touchy subject these days. Although Ontario naturopaths have recently been awarded prescribing rights, the extent of these rights is still being determined. The recent push for the right to prescribe some substances was fueled by the impending legislation that will make natural health products prescription products. Now, with that threat tempered, Naturopaths must determine what spectrum of substances we wish to be able prescribe, which is a controversial question. Having access to substances such as antibiotics and antifungals might allow naturopaths to treat patients that we would have otherwise referred. This ability to treat more patients independently would relieve some of the load of the already over-burdened medical system. The potential expansion of naturopaths into pharmaceuticals can also be viewed positively from the patient’s point of view. Having one more tool to add to our toolbox affords us one more way in which we can help the people who come to us achieve better health. True, most patients do not come with pharmaceutical interventions in mind, but there are undeniably some who would benefit from such treatments. It’s not all positive however. There are significant risks associated with giving naturopaths access to prescription drugs. For example, the quality of a naturopath’s education in pharmaceuticals must be brought into question. The current educational system is designed to help naturopaths understand the drugs their patients are prescribed, not to do the prescribing themselves. There has also been concern expressed that the access to and use of prescription pharmaceuticals will be associated with the loss of our independence from the mainstream medical system.
 
Personally, I don’t think that these fears should stop us from seeking as many prescribing rights to as we can get. I expect that when the legislation goes into effect, a refresher course will be required of anyone seeking to utilize prescription rights, thereby nullifying the concerns about education. As for the problem of practitioners losing their naturopathic way, I am not very concerned. Provided that those practitioners are doing what is in the best interests of their patients, I think it does not matter what modality they use.  I have confidence enough in the medicine we practice to believe that what’s best for the patient is usually a naturopathic approach anyways. For me, prescription rights are part of a brighter future where we have yet another tool to use in guiding our patients towards optimal health.