2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 80A - Board of Examiners of Naturopaths (§§ 2501 — 2520) › § 2508 - Board—Powers and duties

The Board shall authorize the practice of naturopathy in Puerto Rico and shall be empowered to issue the corresponding licenses to every person who meets the requirements provided in this chapter.
In addition to any other powers and duties provided in this chapter, the Board shall have the following:
(a) Issue, renew or deny the license to practice naturopathy, according to the provisions of this chapter.
(b) Suspend, revoke or deny the renewal of a license to practice naturopathy, after holding a hearing, when the existence of violations to the legal precepts established in this chapter or its regulations have been determined.
(c) Prepare, evaluate and administer a revalidation examination for which the Board shall obtain the advice of professional experts in the techniques of preparing examinations and thus guarantee the validity thereof as an instrument to measure the necessary knowledge and skills of the candidate in the adequate performance of the activities or practices allowed to naturopaths, as established in this chapter. The first revalidation examination shall be offered to the candidates to the license within a term of one (1) year, counting from the constitution of the Board. The revalidation examination shall be offered for the second time within a term of six (6) months after the revalidation examination was first administered thereof. For subsequent periods, the Board shall provide the frequency with which it shall administer said examinations, through a resolution to such effects. The Board shall determine the date and place of said examinations, but there shall always be a minimum of sixty (60) days between examinations. The Board shall have the discretion to offer a greater number of examinations, if it deems it necessary. The date of the examinations shall be published through a prominent announcement in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, on two (2) occasions, at least thirty (30) days prior to the administration thereof. Said examinations shall be corrected and notified to the candidates on or before ninety (90) calendar days from the date of the examination. Every candidate who fails the revalidation examination three (3) times cannot take the examination again until he/she submits to the Board attending evidence that he/she has taken and passed the remedial courses. After these courses, the candidate shall have two (2) additional opportunities to take the examination. The candidates who have not approved the revalidation exam shall be entitled to examine the examination, upon their request.
(d) Keep an updated professional registry of all licenses it issues, stating the full name, personal data of the person to whom the license is issued as well as the status of said licenses.
(e) Keep a book of the minutes of all its proceedings.
(f) Adopt an official seal which shall be stamped on all licenses is issued by the Board and on all its official documents.
(g) Hold public or administrative hearings, resolve controversies in matters under its jurisdiction, issue orders according to its resolutions and agreements, take statements or oaths, serve summons requiring the appearance of witnesses and the production of data, documents or reports the Board deems necessary to issue, deny, suspend or revoke a license. The Board, through the Secretary of Justice, may appear before any Part of the Court of First Instance of Puerto Rico and ask the court to order compliance with any of its orders or subpoenas under penalty of contempt.
(h) Contract the administrative, professional or consulting personnel as deemed necessary.
(i) Impose sanctions on naturopaths who do not meet the requirement of obtaining professional malpractice insurance as provided in § 2509 of this title.
(j) Impose sanctions, when deemed pertinent, in those cases in which claims have been allowed for or judicial or extrajudicial adjudication transactions for professional malpractice committed by a naturopath.
(k) Submit to the Secretary of Health an annual report of its work specifying the number of licenses issued, denied, suspended or revoked.
(l) Promote the continuing education of naturopaths on the ethical, legal and professional principles that govern their professional conduct. The Board shall establish, by regulations the continuing education activities that shall be accepted for the renewal of the license.
(m) Prepare and publish a handbook containing the information regarding the exams it offers. A copy of said handbook shall be remitted to every person who requests it and pays the amount of ten dollars ($10) by certified check or postal money order drawn to the order of the Secretary of the Treasury. The Board may review from time to time, the cost of acquisition of this handbook, based on the cost to prepare and publish it, but the amount to be charged shall never exceed the real cost of such expenses.
(n) Adopt, no later than one hundred and twenty (120) days date of the constitution of the Board, the regulations for the application of this chapter, which shall establish, without it being understood as a limitation, the requirements and procedures to request the issue or renewal of licenses, as well as the procedures to hold public or administrative hearings. Said regulations shall take effect after complying with the procedures their approval as established in §§ 2101 et seq. of Title 3, known as the “Uniform Administrative Procedures Act of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico”.
(o) Adopt a code of ethics that shall govern the practice of naturopathy, no later than six (6) months following the date of the constitution of the Board.
History —Dec. 30, 1997, No. 211, § 9, eff. Jan. 1, 1998.