History of the AMERICAN NATUROPATHIC ASSOCIATION

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1901—Founder Dr. Benedict Lust:  “The natural system for curing disease is based on a return to Nature in regulating the diet, breathing, exercising, bathing, and the employment of various forces to eliminate the poisonous products in the system and so raise the vitality of the patient to a proper standard of health.”

1902—Dr. John and Dr. Sophie Scheel coin the term “Naturopathy”

1909—California licenses naturopathic doctors. The Association of Naturopaths of California gets this law passed.

1919—The American Naturopathic Association founded by Dr. Benedict Lust.

1922—The Associated Naturopathic Schools and Colleges of America (ANSCA) is founded to standardize and accredit all U.S. naturopathic schools.

1929—U.S. Congress passes legislation recognizing and broadly defining Naturopathy as “any system of healing that does not resort to the use of drugs, [conventional] medicine, or operative surgery for the prevention, relief, or cure of any disease”. Signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge.

1931—The 70th Congress clarifies the 1929 Naturopathic Licensing Act (HR12169)

1942—A faction of naturopaths in the Northwest and Southwest, creates a second American Naturopathic Association. This association would eventually become the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians in 1985.

1945—Benedict Lust dies.

1951—Standardized Naturopathy by Dr. Paul Wendel is published. 

         —The National Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NBNE) founded.

1964—California “sunsets” its naturopathic licensing law. The beginning of the decline of the original ANA.

1987—Ignoring the existence of the ANA Council on Schools and Colleges, the CNME (Council for Naturopathic Medical Education) is organized by the principals in the AANP organization.  Curricula at these schools follow a model similar to medical and osteopathic schools. Graduates of these schools are required to take the two-part NPLEX (Naturopathic Physician Licensing Examination).

2019—National Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NBNE), the original certifying agency, resumes administrating exams and issuing certification after hiatus.

2020—American Naturopathic Association bylaws revisited, leadership begins quiet work for revival of association. 

2023—ANA begins accepting new members.

The citations above are from A Century of Naturopathy

The ANA is here to advocate for the practice of Nature Cure throughout the United States and across the globe.