Health Freedom in Florida at Risk as Naturopathic Ballot Issue Nears Deadline — Consumers Urged to Take Action Immediately

Florida House Bill 1261 and Florida Senate Bill 2678 would give consumers the opportunity to select health care options with an emphasis on preventative care, nutritional medicine, naturally-derived medicine, dietary supplements and physical medicine. It would also reactivate the licensing of Naturopathic Physicians in Florida. But the Bills are anything but a sure win.

Tallahassee, FL (PRWEB) April 14, 2006 -- A new video by International award-winning Producer Kevin P. Miller has been unveiled as a tool to educate Florida residents and others about two new bills in the Florida legislature aimed at preserving Naturopathic medicine and health freedom in that state. “Looking for Truth in the Sunshine State,” was produced by Miller because, as he puts it, “Florida residents — and all those who care about medical freedom of choice — need to contact their state legislators and make a stand for health freedom — and they need to do it now.” The film and three shortened versions can be seen at http://herballure.com/Special/LookingForTheTruth/

A few months ago, two health freedom bills were introduced in the Florida State Senate and Florida House of Representatives. They aim to protect Naturopathic medicine in the state at a time that Naturopathic Physicians are teetering on the brink of extinction. If passed, Florida House Bill 1261 and Florida Senate Bill 2678 would give consumers the opportunity to select health care options with an emphasis on preventative care, nutritional medicine, naturally-derived medicine, dietary supplements and physical medicine. It would also reactivate the licensing of Naturopathic Physicians in Florida.

There has not been a new Naturopathic Doctor licensed in the state since 1959. Dr. Michael Dappolonia, an 88-year-old Naturopathic Doctor in Orlando was one of the last to be licensed to practice. “Back in the 1950’s, there were over 500 naturopathic physicians in Florida,” he said a few weeks ago. “And today I’m sorry to say that we have gone from over 500 members to four — four licensed naturopathic physicians in the state of Florida.”

Until now, legislators in Florida have refused to challenge the medical monopoly enjoyed by conventionally trained doctors and the drug company lobbyists, but these bills could dramatically change the landscape of healthcare options in Florida.

Dr. Lad Santiago, a member of the Florida Association of Naturopathic Medicine, is a student of history. He knows why the pressure from the American Medical Association and the Florida Medical Association became so intense. “Naturopathic medicine was using all sorts of therapeutics for all possible maladies, and for all illnesses and infirmities that were imaginable,” he said. “And they were truly a competitor in the health care field.”

Almost everyone agrees that acute medical care — or allopathic medicine as it’s called, can save your life. Conventional doctors employ the very best weapons in their arsenal to bring patients back from a near death experience. Naturopathic physicians, on the other hand, are trained as the primary care physicians of natural medicine — and are committed to finding the source of disease — and emphasize health maintenance — rather than merely suppressing the symptoms with drugs.

House Bill 1261 and Senate Bill 2678 have been driven by consumers who want the freedom to choose their own brand of medicine. In this era of double-digit inflation on prescription drugs and the runaway cost of healthcare, Floridians must decide if they will preserve their right to choose a Naturopathic Physician — now and in the future. It would appear that time is running out on medical freedom in Florida, however, as consumers must contact their state legislators immediately in order to make an impact,

On April 18th, a Natural Healthcare Legislative Day will be held at the state capitol in Tallahassee in support of House Bill 1261 and Senate Bill 2678. Florida resident BJ West, who helped organize the event, encourages residents “to attend this important event and to show the legislature that the citizens of Florida support natural medicines.” She can be contacted at 407-645-4502 or 850-230-4042.

“If you believe your family should have choices in healthcare,” said Julie Hilton, President of Citizens for Health Freedom, “if you believe in competition, support these bills. If not, the $600 billion drug industry wins — and you lose.”

For more information — and to take action, consumers can go to: www.citizensforhealthfreedom.org

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