Can a Naturopathic Physician Prescribe Medication? What Oregon Law Actually Says

A recent social-media discussion about naturopathic physicians included several statements that are commonly repeated but do not accurately describe the profession in Oregon, Washington and multiple other state in this country. A Naturopathic Doctor who is licensed in Oregon and Washington and has prescribing privileges described herself as a physician. An anesthesiologist immediately stopped the video, objected to the title and smugly responded, “No she's not.” Other participants in the thread chimed in stating that naturopathic physicians could not prescribe medications or controlled substances or weren't 'real' doctors OR physicians.

The discussion illustrates how easily several separate issues can become mixed together: the education required for naturopathic physician licensure, the use of the initials ND by people who did not attend accredited naturopathic medical schools, differences in state scope-of-practice laws, and long-standing (often ego driven) professional disagreements over who should use the word physician.

Oregon law (and multiple other states) provide fairly clear answers to most of these questions.

The Licensed ND and the “UN-D” Problem

One of the most persistent sources of confusion is that the initials ND are not always used by people with comparable education.

At HormoneSynergy®, we have occasionally used the informal term “UN-D” to distinguish someone with an unaccredited naturopathy credential from a licensed naturopathic physician. It is not an official professional designation. It simply describes a problem that patients and other healthcare professionals may not realize exists.

Some schools offer correspondence or online programs that award certificates or degrees using terms such as naturopathy, naturopathic doctor or ND. Completion of one of these programs should not be confused with graduation from an accredited naturopathic medical college.

The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education is the specialized accrediting organization for naturopathic doctoral programs in the United States and Canada. CNME-accredited naturopathic medical programs are four-year doctoral programs with substantial in-person medical and clinical education. CNME does not accredit ND programs delivered entirely or primarily through distance education.

Graduates pursuing licensure must also satisfy the requirements of the state or jurisdiction in which they practice and, where required, pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination, commonly known as NPLEX.

A licensed naturopathic physician and someone who received an unaccredited online naturopathy credential therefore have very different educational and professional backgrounds, even if both people use similar terminology when describing themselves. Public discussions that fail to make this distinction contribute to understandable confusion about the profession.

Naturopathic Physician Licensure in the United States

Naturopathic physician licensure is determined by individual jurisdictions rather than by a single national scope-of-practice law. As of 2026, naturopathic doctors are regulated in 26 U.S. jurisdictions: 23 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The details vary considerably. Some jurisdictions provide a relatively narrow scope, while others allow licensed naturopathic physicians to function as primary-care practitioners, order laboratory and imaging studies, diagnose and manage disease, and prescribe pharmaceuticals. Controlled-substance authority also varies.

Oregon has historically maintained one of the broader naturopathic scopes of practice. Washington also licenses naturopathic physicians and permits pharmaceutical prescribing, although its controlled-substance provisions are more limited than Oregon's.

This variation explains why a person's experience with an ND in one state may not accurately describe the practice of a naturopathic physician elsewhere.

The Title “Naturopathic Physician” in Oregon

The use of the title is not a matter of personal preference in Oregon. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 685 governs naturopathic physicians and defines the qualifications required for licensure.

Oregon law also restricts terms including “N.D.” and “Naturopathic Physician” to individuals who are appropriately licensed to practice naturopathic medicine. The Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine describes naturopathic physicians as primary-care practitioners who are educated in conventional medical sciences and trained in the prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of acute and chronic conditions.

The American Medical Association has taken a different position regarding use of the unqualified word “physician” and generally advocates reserving that term for MD and DO physicians. Professional organizations are free to advocate for particular terminology and scope-of-practice policies. Oregon's statutory terminology remains “naturopathic physician.”

It is reasonable to distinguish among an MD, a DO and an ND when discussing credentials. It is not accurate to suggest that a licensed Oregon ND has simply chosen the title naturopathic physician without legal recognition from the state.

Prescription Authority in Oregon

Oregon naturopathic physicians have prescription authority. Oregon law permits licensed naturopathic physicians to administer, dispense and prescribe drugs within the scope established by statute, administrative rule and the state's naturopathic formulary.

The Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine states that licensees may prescribe drugs and drug classifications included within the AHFS formulary unless a medication or drug class is specifically excluded or restricted.

This is broad prescribing authority, although it is not unlimited. Certain medications are excluded, and some drugs or procedures require additional qualifications or compliance with specific rules. The same general principle applies throughout healthcare: prescribing privileges are defined by professional licensure, applicable law and the clinician's qualifications.

In Oregon, the statement that naturopathic physicians cannot prescribe medication is therefore inaccurate.

Controlled Substances

Oregon naturopathic physicians may also prescribe authorized controlled substances when they maintain the appropriate DEA registration and comply with Oregon formulary and prescribing requirements.

Oregon rules include controlled medications in Schedules II, IIN, III, IIIN, IV and V, subject to the limitations established by the state.

Testosterone provides a familiar example in hormone medicine. Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance. An Oregon naturopathic physician who is appropriately licensed, registered with the DEA and practicing within Oregon's prescribing rules may prescribe testosterone.

Whether a particular naturopathic physician chooses to prescribe controlled substances is a separate question from whether the professional license permits it.

Basic Sciences and Naturopathic Medical Education

The educational comparison between ND and MD/DO physicians is often described too broadly in both directions. Accredited naturopathic medical schools teach many of the same foundational biomedical sciences found in conventional medical education, including anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, pathology, neuroscience and pharmacology. Clinical education includes diagnosis, physical examination, laboratory medicine and therapeutics.

Naturopathic medical programs also devote substantial curricular time to areas associated with the profession, including clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, lifestyle medicine and non-pharmaceutical approaches to treatment.

The presence of shared basic sciences does not mean that an ND education is identical to an MD or DO education. The postgraduate pathways differ considerably. MD and DO physicians generally complete multiyear residency programs that provide extensive hospital-based and specialty training. Naturopathic residencies are available, but the residency system is much smaller and postgraduate residency is not universally required for ND licensure.

That difference should be included in any fair comparison. It should not be used to suggest that graduates of accredited naturopathic medical colleges did not receive education in conventional biomedical sciences. Oregon's own licensing board describes them as practitioners educated in those sciences.

Why Some Naturopathic Physicians Rarely Prescribe

Legal prescribing authority does not determine how often an individual physician uses prescription medication.

Some naturopathic physicians develop practices that rely heavily on nutrition, exercise, behavioral change, botanical medicine or other non-pharmaceutical interventions. Some prescribe only occasionally. Some do not maintain DEA registration. Others use pharmaceuticals routinely as part of primary care, hormone therapy, metabolic medicine or other areas of practice.

This variation can contribute to conflicting public impressions. A patient who has seen an ND whose practice is almost entirely non-pharmaceutical may reasonably assume that naturopathic physicians do not prescribe. In another Oregon practice, pharmaceutical management may be part of daily clinical care.

Dr. Retzler's clinical approach has never depended on placing treatments into competing “natural” and “conventional” categories. Her care may include nutrition, exercise, sleep, supplements, hormone therapy, prescription medication, cardiovascular testing, imaging or referral to another specialist according to the needs of the individual patient.

Professional Disagreement and Professional Identity

Scope-of-practice and professional-title disputes have existed throughout modern healthcare. Medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, chiropractic medicine, physician associate practice and other healthcare professions have all had periods of disagreement over professional boundaries.

Many of those discussions address legitimate questions about training and patient safety. Professional identity can also influence the tone of the debate. In some cases, ego becomes part of the discussion, particularly when a clinician assumes that familiarity with his or her own profession includes detailed knowledge of another profession's licensing laws.

The social-media exchange that prompted this article illustrates the problem. The clinician being discussed was a naturopathic physician licensed in Oregon and Washington with prescribing authority. An anesthesiologist rejected the use of the word physician with the categorical response, “No she's not.”

An anesthesiologist has extensive medical and postgraduate training that differs substantially from naturopathic medical education. Nothing about recognizing an Oregon naturopathic physician diminishes the expertise, residency training or specialized role of an anesthesiologist.

At the same time, expertise in anesthesiology does not make a physician an authority on Oregon's naturopathic licensing statutes. Oregon law, not professional preference, determines whether the state recognizes an individual as a naturopathic physician.

The more useful comparison identifies the credential precisely. An ND is not an MD or DO. A licensed Oregon ND is a naturopathic physician under Oregon law.

Hospital Privileges Are a Separate Question

Hospital admitting privileges are sometimes introduced into this discussion as evidence that a naturopathic physician is not a physician. Hospital privileges and state professional licensure are separate matters.

Hospitals and health systems establish their own credentialing requirements and determine which clinicians may admit patients, perform procedures or exercise particular privileges within their facilities. The MD and DO training pathway is much more closely integrated with hospital-based residency and specialty training, and hospital practice remains an important distinction between the professions.

Many naturopathic physicians practice entirely in outpatient settings. Many outpatient MD and DO physicians also practice without personally admitting their patients to hospitals. Hospital privileges do not determine whether Oregon recognizes a professional license or grants prescribing authority.

Continuing Education

Oregon requires actively licensed naturopathic physicians to complete 32 hours of approved continuing education each year, including 10 hours of pharmacology.

For comparison, the Oregon Medical Board's general continuing medical education requirement for actively licensed MD and DO physicians is 30 hours per year, together with specified requirements in areas such as pain management and cultural competency.

The state requirements are similar in total hours and should not be presented as though Oregon requires naturopathic physicians to complete two or three times the continuing education required of MD or DO physicians.

Dr. Retzler has personally chosen to exceed the minimum throughout much of her career, often completing two or three times the number of continuing-education hours required for renewal of her own license. Her postgraduate education has included extensive training in hormone medicine, preventive cardiology, metabolic health, cognitive health and longevity medicine.

Dr. Retzler's Clinical Background

Dr. Kathryn Retzler graduated from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland in 2001. Her early postgraduate training included an integrative medicine internship with Andrew Weil, MD, followed by residency training in Oregon.

She subsequently completed two preventive cardiology fellowships through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine with Mark Houston, MD, whose work has focused extensively on hypertension, vascular biology and preventive cardiovascular medicine.

Dr. Retzler has now practiced for approximately 25 years and currently cares for a clinical panel of roughly 430 patients. Her work includes hormone medicine, preventive cardiology, metabolic health, cognitive longevity, laboratory evaluation and individualized preventive care.

Throughout her career she has prescribed medications, interpreted laboratory and diagnostic findings, referred patients to specialists, received referrals from other clinicians and worked with MDs, DOs, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. She has lectured nationally and participated in physician education programs.

Collegial respect in medicine does not depend on pretending that every healthcare professional has the same degree or training pathway. Dr. Retzler's relationships with MD and DO colleagues have developed through years of shared patients, referrals, consultation and professional work.

More information about her education and clinical background is available on the Dr. Kathryn Retzler and HormoneSynergy® physician profile.

Why the Credential Distinction Matters

Patients should be able to determine what education a healthcare professional completed, whether the educational program was accredited, whether the individual holds an active professional license and what that license permits.

This is particularly important in naturopathic medicine because the public may encounter both licensed naturopathic physicians and individuals using similar terminology after completing programs that do not qualify for physician licensure.

A person with an unaccredited online naturopathy credential should not be treated as equivalent to a graduate of an accredited four-year naturopathic medical program who has passed professional licensing examinations and holds an active state license.

Likewise, acknowledging the legal and clinical status of an Oregon naturopathic physician does not require describing an ND as an MD or DO. These are different professions with different postgraduate training structures and, depending on the state, different scopes of practice.

In Oregon, the relevant facts are straightforward. The state recognizes the professional title naturopathic physician. Oregon naturopathic physicians receive education in conventional biomedical sciences, may serve as primary-care practitioners and have broad prescription authority. Those who meet the necessary state and federal requirements may also prescribe authorized controlled substances.

A useful discussion of naturopathic medicine should begin with those facts and then address the legitimate questions of education, evidence, residency training, scope and clinical practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a naturopathic physician prescribe medication in Oregon?

Yes. Oregon permits licensed naturopathic physicians to prescribe medications within the scope of the state's naturopathic formulary and applicable prescribing rules.

Can an Oregon naturopathic physician prescribe controlled substances?

Yes. An Oregon naturopathic physician with appropriate DEA registration may prescribe authorized controlled substances in Schedules II, IIN, III, IIIN, IV and V when those medications are permitted under Oregon's naturopathic formulary and prescribing requirements.

Is “naturopathic physician” a legally recognized title in Oregon?

Yes. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 685 governs naturopathic physicians and restricts use of the professional title to appropriately licensed individuals.

What is the difference between a licensed naturopathic physician and someone with an online naturopathy degree?

A licensed naturopathic physician completes an approved doctoral naturopathic medical program and satisfies professional licensing requirements. The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education does not accredit ND programs delivered primarily or entirely online. Such programs do not provide the accredited educational pathway required for naturopathic physician licensure.

Are naturopathic physicians licensed in every state?

No. Licensure and scope of practice are determined by individual jurisdictions. As of 2026, naturopathic doctors are regulated in 26 U.S. jurisdictions, including 23 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Do all naturopathic physicians prescribe medications?

No. Prescribing authority and individual practice style are separate issues. Some naturopathic physicians use prescription medications regularly, while others emphasize nutrition, lifestyle and non-pharmaceutical therapies and may prescribe infrequently.

Do naturopathic physicians study conventional medical sciences?

Yes. Accredited naturopathic medical programs include biomedical and clinical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, pathology and pharmacology. The overall ND, MD and DO educational and postgraduate pathways are not identical.

Is an ND the same as an MD or DO?

No. ND, MD and DO are different doctoral degrees with different educational traditions and postgraduate training structures. Scope of practice for naturopathic physicians also varies by state.

How much continuing education does an Oregon naturopathic physician complete?

Oregon currently requires actively licensed naturopathic physicians to complete 32 hours of approved continuing education annually, including 10 hours of pharmacology. Individual physicians may complete substantially more than the minimum requirement.

Sources and editorial note: This article addresses licensed naturopathic physicians practicing under Oregon law. Scope of practice varies considerably among states and jurisdictions and may change over time. Primary references include Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 685, the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine, Oregon prescribing guidance, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, and current state licensure information. Discussion of naturopathic physician licensure should not be interpreted as a claim that ND, MD and DO education, residency training or hospital experience are identical.