Colorado Natural Health Consumer Protection Act-Part 2

C.R.S. 6-1-724. Unlicensed alternative health care practitioners - deceptive trade practices

Disclosures, enforcement provisions, civil penalties, damages, liability

The Colorado Natural Health Consumer Protection Act helps consumers who have concerns of alternative health care practitioners customarily practicing beyond their scope. Practitioners routinely expand their scope to include everything, every body system and function, disease or condition, both physical and mental. Furthermore, shortcuts are commonly taken for credentials and even "numerous degrees" from sub-standard, distance-learning, non-accredited schools and diploma mills which feature an average of one year to receive a "degree". A profound breach of trust in the client-practitioner relationship occurs when consumers enter into the relationship with a certain level of trust and the expectation that the practitioner is honest and trustworthy, as well as capable, but the practitioner enters into the relationship seriously deficient in those qualities, as well as in knowledge, education, training, skills, and experience.

In addressing this serious shortcoming of the client-practitioner relationship in the alternative and complementary health care industry, the Colorado Natural Health Consumer Protection Act requires practitioners to disclose their credentials, degrees, training, experience, or any other qualifications, before any services can be provided. This eliminates the consumer's burden of having to request that information, however, that does not eliminate the necessary steps that consumers must take to verify the provided information, or at least, check how much education and training the practitioner has actually had. This is, of course, very important for health care consumers looking for good quality health care, but more importantly, it is very revealing of an industry in which practitioners routinely mislead, dupe, and defraud clients.

In consideration of the public's health and safety, the Colorado Natural Health Consumer Protection Act includes enforcement provisions that include civil penalties and damages, allows any individual's right to seek relief under this act or any other available civil or common law for damages resulting from the negligence, by act or omission, of a practitioner providing complementary and alternative health care, and in some cases  may include penalties for unauthorized practice of a state regulated health care profession.

The Colorado Natural Health Consumer Protection Act was signed with a safety clause: The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.

This is welcome and much-needed legislation that not only protects consumers, but also strongly encourages honesty and openness in the alternative health industry.


The Colorado Natural Health Consumer Protection Act is here.