North Carolina

Updated September 2009

North Carolina does not currently regulate naturopathic physicians, but there is an effort under way to change that. The North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians (NCANP) is spearheading this effort. The NCANP is working with the state legislature, NC Medical Board, NC Medical Society, and other interested parties to make licensure a reality. To learn more, or to help out, go to ncanp.com.

Until we have a licensing law, the naturopathic profession is unregulated. There are many people, with widely divergent training and experience, practicing as “homeopaths,” “naturopaths,” “naturopathic doctors,” and “NDs” in our state. It is wise for consumers to research the educational backgrounds of their health care practitioners. One way to find a qualified practitioner is through the National Center for Homeopathy’s Practitioner Directory at homeopathic.org.

The doctors at Asheville Natural Health & Homeopathy are both graduates of accredited, four-year naturopathic medical colleges. They have taken national board exams, and meet continuing education standards required by the states in which they are licensed. Dr. Coward is licensed by the state of Vermont, and Dr. Bahnson is licensed by the state of Washington.