History of Naturopathic Legislation in Massachusetts:
In the spring of 2000 the Joint Committee on Health Care recommended a special commission (The Massachusetts Legislature Special Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine) be established to study and advise it on the licensing of naturopathic practitioners. The Commission was chaired by William Wood, Director of the Division of Registration and Professional Licensure. The membership of this commission included three members from the House, three members from the Senate and representatives from the Department of Public Health, the Board of Registration in Medicine, the Acupuncture Society of Massachusetts and Massachusetts Society of Naturopathic Doctors. The commission met for 15 months to assess the need for licensing of naturopathic doctors, ending January 15, 2002.