This question comes up constantly, and the honest answer surprises a lot of people: Oregon gives naturopathic doctors one of the broadest prescribing scopes of any state in the country.
Quick Answer: Yes, licensed naturopathic doctors in Oregon can prescribe medication, including from nearly the entire AHFS drug formulary, unless a specific drug class is excluded by administrative rule. This includes many controlled substances across multiple schedules. Oregon’s naturopathic prescribing authority stems from legislation that gave the profession full primary care prescribing rights, making it one of the broadest naturopathic prescriptive scopes nationally, alongside states like Arizona and Washington. Oregon NDs who register with the DEA can also prescribe medications like buprenorphine for opioid use disorder treatment, following the 2023 removal of the federal X-waiver requirement.
What Oregon’s Formulary Actually Covers
Oregon licensees are permitted to prescribe all drugs and drug classifications on the AHFS Formulary unless specifically excluded or restricted by Oregon Administrative Rule. The Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine’s Formulary Council, working from naturopathic principles, public need, and evidence-based clinical reasoning, determines the specific formulary. In day-to-day practice, this commonly includes antibiotics for bacterial infections, thyroid and other hormone medications, blood pressure medications, and allergy treatments, alongside the botanical medicines, nutritional supplements, and homeopathic preparations naturopathic care is more commonly associated with.
Oregon’s statute does carve out a short list of exclusions: general anesthetics, injectable ketamine for anesthesia, most barbiturates, and systemic chemotherapy agents (with some exceptions in oral form), among a few other specific categories.
Controlled Substances Specifically
Oregon NDs can prescribe controlled substances within Schedules II, IIN, III, IIIN, IV, and V, as specified in the naturopathic formulary, and can register with the DEA to do so. This is meaningfully broader than most other licensing states, where naturopathic prescriptive authority for controlled substances is either absent or much more restricted.
By the Numbers
- Oregon NDs can prescribe from nearly the entire AHFS drug formulary, with only a short list of specific exclusions.
- Only about a dozen states nationally give NDs meaningful prescriptive authority, and Oregon’s is among the broadest.
- Oregon NDs can prescribe controlled substances across Schedules II through V, per the naturopathic formulary.
- Prescribing authority is state-specific; an Oregon-licensed ND cannot prescribe for a patient physically located in a state where NDs lack that authority, even via telehealth.
Comparing Oregon to Other States
| State | ND Prescriptive Authority |
|---|---|
| Oregon | Nearly entire AHFS formulary, controlled substances Sch. II-V |
| Arizona | Legend drugs plus Sch. II-V, excluding Schedule II opioids |
| Washington | Broad legend drug authority |
| Many other licensing states | Limited or no prescriptive authority |
Myth vs. Fact
Myth: “Naturopathic doctors can only recommend supplements, not real medication.”
Fact: In Oregon specifically, licensed NDs can prescribe from nearly the entire standard drug formulary, including many controlled substances, a genuinely broad scope compared with most other states.
Myth: “Naturopathic prescribing authority is the same in every state.”
Fact: Prescriptive authority varies dramatically by state, from Oregon’s broad formulary access to states with no naturopathic prescribing rights at all. Oregon is genuinely one of the most expansive.
Myth: “An Oregon-licensed ND can prescribe for anyone, anywhere, via telehealth.”
Fact: Prescriptive authority is tied to the patient’s physical location at the time of the visit, not just the provider’s license state. An Oregon ND cannot prescribe for a patient located in a state where NDs lack that authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can naturopathic doctors in Oregon prescribe antibiotics?
Yes, antibiotics for bacterial infections are commonly within the naturopathic prescribing scope in Oregon.
Can Oregon naturopathic doctors prescribe controlled substances?
Yes, within Schedules II through V as specified in the naturopathic formulary, with appropriate DEA registration.
Are there any medications Oregon NDs cannot prescribe?
Yes, a short specific list including general anesthetics, injectable ketamine for anesthesia, most barbiturates, and systemic chemotherapy agents (with some oral exceptions).
Is Oregon’s naturopathic prescribing authority unusual compared to other states?
Yes, Oregon is widely recognized as having one of the broadest naturopathic prescriptive scopes in the country, alongside states like Arizona.
Can an Oregon naturopathic doctor prescribe for a patient in another state via telehealth?
Only if that other state also grants NDs prescriptive authority for the relevant medication; prescribing authority is determined by the patient’s location, not just the provider’s license.
ProActive Choice in Bend, Oregon
Dr. Drew Collins, ND is a licensed Oregon naturopathic doctor with full prescriptive authority:
- What Is a Naturopathic Doctor?: A complete guide to training and scope
- About Dr. Drew Collins: His background and credentials
- Functional Medicine Bend, Oregon: A comprehensive approach to care
ProActive Choice is located in Bend, Oregon and serves patients throughout Central Oregon including Redmond, Sisters, La Pine, and Sunriver. Call +1 (858) 333-5196 or schedule a consultation online.
