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HEALTHCARE FREEDOM FOR OHIO CITIZENS IS IN JEOPARDY!


Caring, professional complementary health practitioners are being investigated, harassed, and put out of business.  It happened again on January 9, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio!  Practitioners of alternative healing arts that include reiki, foot reflexology, herbalism, etc., are courageous individuals.  In many states, including Ohio, the law discourages these practices and various medical boards intimidate and investigate those who offer and/or perform these services.  Sting operations are conducted on a regular basis.  A consumer of a natural therapy or product rarely files complaints.  Investigations are usually initiated after a member of one of the state medical boards makes a complaint.  The reason for the complaint can be something as innocent as an advertisement of a therapy, consultation, or class offered.  These boards claim to conduct these activities to "protect the consumer".  In actuality, competition for consumer dollars is stronger now than ever.  Natural healthcare options are more popular than ever because they bring results with no risk of harm.  The consumer is willing to pay out of pocket for these services even when the conventional options would more likely be paid for by their insurance plans.    

Ohio law is very vague about what "practicing medicine" means.  For example, a grandmother could be charged with "practicing medicine without a license" if she saw her grandchild sneezing, proclaimed that she probably had a cold, recommended she eat some chicken soup, and said she would feel better soon.  This grandmother just diagnosed a condition, prescribed a therapy and promised a cure.  This is a simplified version of the situation, but it is a reality.  Practitioners of unlicensed healing arts are charged with various infringements of the law, even when no one has been harmed.  Complementary or alternative healing therapies are historically very safe, and by their very nature, they nourish, comfort and support the human body to function better. 

The Ohio Sunshine Health Freedom Coalition (OSHFC), a grassroots movement, formed in September of 2006.  Its initial mission was to come up with a plan to cope with an important Ohio health freedom bill, H.B. 117, which had become tainted by an amendment that included a mandatory registration for all practitioners of unlicensed healing therapies.  The registration amendment had been added to appease the various medical boards that objected to the bill’s purpose.  Opposing arguments by the various medical boards claimed to be in the interest of protecting the public.  OSHFC's campaign against mandatory registration contributed to the death of H.B. 117 and a subsequent registration bill, H.B. 148. 

 An excellent website for information on health freedom is www.nationalhealthfreedom.org.  Click on Information Center, then Access to Practitioners and Right to Practice, choose Aug 04 for a 32-page document on registration of non-dangerous healing practices or Oct 04 for a shorter 2-page document.     

The intention of a health freedom bill is to prevent prosecution of those doing non-licensed healing therapies unless it is proven they have done harm. This will provide the consumer with complete access to all practitioners and the services they provide.  Without a health freedom bill, advertisement of services available is enough to trigger an investigation.  How can a consumer have freedom of choice if he is not made aware of what is available?  How can a consumer have access to a therapy if the practitioner stops offering a service out of fear of criminal charges?  H.B. 580 provides for a consumer disclosure statement so there is informed consent.  It also provides a list of prohibited, dangerous activities that a non-licensed practitioner can not do. The passage of H.B. 580 is necessary to encourage the availability and practice of benign natural healthcare. 

    





OSHFC Corporate Sponsorship: Click HERE to become a member of  OSHFC!  We NEED sponsorship form YOU or YOUR business to help us maintain our Health Freedom in Ohio!

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