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Stop the Dietician Monopoly in Louisiana

Summary:

The Louisiana legislature is considering a bill, HB 579, that would further cement restrictions that prevent Louisianans from seeing the nutritional practitioner of their choice.

HB 579 expands the monopoly power of Registered Dieticians, unfairly pushing out other, often more qualified nutrition professionals. 

Urge your state representatives to vote no on HB 579 unless it is amended create an open and free market for other nutrition professionals.

 

Background:

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the trade group for Registered Dieticians (RDs) has made it a priority to pass, in as many states as possible, “scope-of-practice” laws whereby only RDs can offer nutrition advice and services. Louisiana is one of 15 states with scope of practice laws for dieticians. This, of course, explicitly excludes other nutrition professionals who are better educated, more experienced, and better qualified than RDs. Once scope-of-practice laws pass the state legislature and are signed into law, state boards are created to enforce the RD monopoly.

As we’ve said before, it’s perfectly legitimate for RDs to want to protect the term “Registered Dietitian” as a means of informing consumers of their particular professional training. At the same time, we believe in a competitive and open market for nutrition professionals, with consumers and employers (including hospitals) being able to decide what credentials, education, and experience they want in a nutrition provider. 

That corporate sponsorship seems to be such an integral component of the AND’s business model underscores the necessity of having the freedom to choose among nutrition experts. The AND’s 2014 annual report shows sponsorship from junk food conglomerates such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills, Kellogg’s, McCormick, ConAgra, and Del Monte, among others. 

The AND’s utter lack of credibility and glaring conflicts of interest when it comes to offering nutrition advice is further proof that our resistance to nutrition monopolies at the state level is as important as ever.

Write your state representatives and urge them to oppose the newest expansion of the AND's power in Louisiana!

Recipients

  • Your State Representative or Representatives

Contact

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Message

Please vote NO on HB 579

Dear [Decision Maker],

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]