(1) It is recognized that hypnosis has attained a significant place as another technique in the treatment of human injury, disease, and illness, both mental and physical; that the utilization of hypnotic techniques for therapeutic purposes should be restricted to certain practitioners of the healing arts who are qualified by professional training to fulfill the necessary criteria required for diagnosis and treatment of human illness, disease, or injury within the scope of their own particular field of competence; or that such hypnotic techniques should be employed by qualified individuals who work under the direction, supervision, or prescription of such practitioners.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature to provide for certain practitioners of the healing arts, such as a trained and qualified dentist, to use hypnosis for hypnoanesthesia or for the allaying of anxiety in relation to dental work; however, under no circumstances shall it be legal or proper for the dentist or the individual to whom the dentist may refer the patient, to use hypnosis for the treatment of the neurotic difficulties of a patient. The same applies to the optometrist, podiatric physician, chiropractic physician, osteopathic physician, or physician of medicine.
(3) It is, therefore, the intent and purpose of this chapter to regulate the practice of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes by providing that such hypnotic techniques shall be used only by certain practitioners of the healing arts within the limits and framework of their own particular field of competence; or by qualified persons to whom a patient may be referred, in which event the referring practitioner of the healing arts shall be responsible, severally or jointly, for any injury or damages resulting to the patient because of either his or her own incompetence, or the incompetence of the person to whom the patient was referred.
History.—s. 1, ch. 61-506; s. 2, ch. 65-170; s. 194, ch. 97-103; s. 48, ch. 97-264; ss. 195, 267, ch. 98-166; s. 201, ch. 2000-160.
Note.—Former s. 456.31.