Colorado § 12-250-103 - Definitions.

§ 12-250-103. Definitions.

As used in this article 250, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) Repealed.

(2) "Administer" means the direct application of a drug to the body of a patient by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other method.

(3) "Advisory committee" means the naturopathic medicine advisory committee created in section 12-250-104.

(4) "Approved clinical training" means clinical training in naturopathic medicine in an inpatient or outpatient setting that has been approved by the director. "Approved clinical training" may include components of allopathic medicine in addition to naturopathic medicine.

(5) "Approved naturopathic medical college" means:

(a) A naturopathic medical education program in the United States or Canada that grants the degree of doctor of naturopathic medicine or doctor of naturopathy and that:

(I) Is approved by the director;

(II) Offers graduate-level, full-time didactic and supervised clinical training; and

(III) Is accredited or has achieved candidacy status for accreditation by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or an equivalent accrediting body for naturopathic medical programs recognized by the United States department of education; or

(b) Any other college or program approved by the director and accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education or its successor entity.

(5.5) "Board of health" means the state board of health created in section 25-1-103 (1)(a).

(6) "Continuing professional competency" means the ongoing ability of a naturopathic doctor to learn, integrate, and apply the knowledge, skill, and judgment to practice as a naturopathic doctor according to generally accepted standards and professional ethical standards.

(7) "Dispense" means the preparation, in a suitable container appropriately labeled for subsequent administration to or use by a patient, of a medicine that a naturopathic doctor is authorized under this article 250 to obtain.

(8) "Homeopathic preparations" means medicines prepared according to the most current version of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States/Revision Service.

(9) "Minor office procedures" means:

(a) The repair, care, and suturing of superficial lacerations and abrasions;

(b) The removal of foreign bodies located in superficial tissue, excluding the ear or eye; and

(c) Obtaining and administering saline, sterile water, topical antiseptics, and local anesthetics, including local anesthetics with epinephrine, in connection with a procedure described in subsection (9)(a) or (9)(b) of this section.

(10) "Natural health-care services" or "natural health care" includes, but is not limited to:

(a) Healing practices using food; food extracts; over-the-counter dietary supplements, including vitamins, herbs, minerals, and enzymes; nutrients; homeopathic remedies and preparations; the physical forces of heat, cold, water, touch, sound, and light; and mind-body and energetic healing practices;

(b) Education, counseling, or advice regarding healing practices described in subsection (10)(a) of this section and their effects on the structure and functions of the human body; and

(c) Services or care as may be further defined by the director by rule.

(11) "Naturopathic doctor" or "registrant" means a person who is registered by the director to practice naturopathic medicine pursuant to this article 250.

(12) "Naturopathic formulary" means the list of nonprescription classes of medicines determined by the director that naturopathic doctors use in the practice of naturopathic medicine. "Naturopathic formulary" includes any prescription substance or device that is authorized under this article 250.

(13) (a) "Naturopathic medicine", as performed by a naturopathic doctor, means a system of health care for the prevention, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of injuries, diseases, and conditions of the human body through the use of education, nutrition, naturopathic preparations, natural medicines and other therapies, and other modalities that are designed to support or supplement the human body's own natural self-healing processes.

(b) "Naturopathic medicine" includes naturopathic physical medicine, which consists of naturopathic manual therapy, the therapeutic use of the physical agents of air, water, heat, cold, sound, light, touch, and electromagnetic nonionizing radiation, and the physical modalities of electrotherapy, diathermy, ultraviolet light, ultrasound, hydrotherapy, and exercise.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 1297, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2026: (1) repealed and (5.5) added, (SB 26-032), ch. 24, p. 110, § 4, effective March 27.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 12-37.3-102 as it existed prior to 2019.

Cross references: For the short title ("Ensuring Immunization Access for Coloradans Act") and the legislative declaration in SB 26-032, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 24, Session Laws of Colorado 2026.