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A time for action: supporting Indigenous access to naturopathic medicine
Originally published in The Hill Times on May 14, 2025
Naturopathic care offers a proven approach to addressing health-care crises disproportionately affecting Indigenous people.
A decade has passed since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued its report and 94 Calls to Action, seven of which address significant Indigenous health-care disparities.
And while 10 years have passed, many of these disparities remain, and the need to address them is urgent.
Naturopathic medicine offers a uniquely responsive approach to fulfilling several of the Commission’s Calls to Action by providing available, effective, and modernized health care to Indigenous people. However, despite growing evidence supporting its effectiveness, persistent funding gaps and restrictive policies continue to prevent access.
Last year, we saw an important step forward when the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) brought First Nations leaders and their proxies together, passing a resolution calling on the Government of Canada to include naturopathic medicine and allied health services in the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program, a publicly funded health-care system meant to provide coverage for Status First Nations.
The AFN is a national advocacy organization representing First Nations peoples across more than 634 First Nations in Canada, and resolutions like these are an important part of how it advances reconciliation principles.
Since 2014, the AFN has partnered with Indigenous Services Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to review and improve the NIHB program, help community members navigate the complex benefits process, and advocate for expanded coverage.
The addition of naturopathic medicine to the NIHB program is not outside the realm of good policy. It would mirror a Veterans Affairs Canada’s 2022 initiative that covers naturopathic doctor consultations and assessments. That program provides the blueprint for expanding access through the NIHB, and the publicly funded health-care system more broadly.
Naturopathic care offers a proven approach to addressing health-care crises disproportionately affecting Indigenous people.
Take the heart disease crisis. Heart and Stroke reports Indigenous people experience heart disease rates 50 per cent higher than the general population, and are twice as likely to die from stroke. But there’s hope. Research suggests naturopathic medicine can play a key role in turning the tide. A 2013 Canadian Medical Association Journal clinical trial found naturopathic care led to a significantly reduced 10-year cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndrome incidence. Furthermore, a 2014 study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found a naturopathic approach to medicine not only reduces cardiovascular disease risk, but also generates societal and employer cost savings.
Further, the federal government reports First Nations on reserve have a rate of diabetes three to five times higher than that of other Canadians—starkly underscoring the need for innovative solutions. In 2024, the World Naturopathic Federation published Naturopathic workforce and type 2 diabetes, a whitepaper highlighting strong evidence, across multiple studies, of how naturopathic care improves Type 2 diabetes outcomes.
Naturopathic medicine can be transformative for Indigenous patients. Naturopathic doctors are a key part of a holistic, modern health-care system, providing evidence-based, cost-saving, and lifesaving care that intentionally holds space for traditional knowledge. Naturopathic medicine is also synergistic with traditional plant medicines recognized within communities and considered an effective way to stay healthy and prevent diseases.
Research from Dr. Jessica Carfagnini, ND, exploring the perspectives of Indigenous patients in Thunder Bay, Ont., puts this into sharp focus. Participants described naturopathic care as empowering and holistic, providing relief from pain and anxiety while respecting traditional knowledge. They appreciated the safe space and patient-centred care approach of naturopathic doctors, who collaborate with other health-care providers.
The key barrier is access. Naturopathic care is only accessible via extended health-care benefits, underscoring the need for increased availability of naturopathic medicine for community members navigating a range of health challenges.
The time has come to ensure access to naturopathic doctors is not contingent on employer benefits or financial ability; healthcare equity demands it. We can no longer afford not to close these health-care gaps for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Gemma Beierback, CAE, is CEO of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors. Jenny Gardipy is a senior policy analyst at the Assembly of First Nations. The Hill Times
Briefing Notes for NIHB Coverage of Naturopathic Medicine
The CAND produced two briefs for the AFN, as they prepare a letter to the Minister requesting the inclusion of Naturopathic Medicine into the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB). This is the next step following the resolution that was announced at the end of last year.
As requested, our briefs focused on two key themes: Firstly, evidence of the effectiveness and cost-benefit potential of naturopathic care in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, issues that disproportionately impact Indigenous Peoples. Secondly, Dr. Jessica Carfagnini ND, provided an evidence-backed brief on the synergies between naturopathic medicine and Indigenous healing practices.
You can read the CAND briefs here: