Medication Policy 

Both providers currently at GoodMed are Naturopathic physicians. The scope of practice in Washington state limits the prescribing rights to non-scheduled medications, with the exception of codeine and codeine containing medications and testosterone. Scheduled drugs are classified as such due to the increased risk of harm and addiction.

This comes into play most in the medical management of chronic pain (opiate pain medications), anxiety and sleep disorders (benzodiazapenes), and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders (amphetamines).

We will happily work with your prescribing clinician to help manage your medical needs, but you will need to maintain that relationship in order to continue to receive those necessary medications. If your goal is to reduce the amount of medications you take, we can help you with that too, but we still need to work with the prescribing clinician.

The general medical trend is moving away from using these classes of medications, as the long term potential for harm and side effects make these medications difficult to take, difficult to  manage, and difficult to discontinue.

The GOOD news is that there are many effective alternatives to these medications, many involving lifestyle and dietary choices, but also at GoodMed you will have access to acupuncture, biofeedback, physical medicine, regenerative injections, and other pain and anxiety reducing treatments at your disposal, most at no cost to you. Wouldn’t it be nice to reduce your medication intake and feel better?