Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 18.71.011 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026

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A person is practicing medicine if he or she does one or more of the following:

(1) Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise, or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary, by any means or instrumentality;

(2) Administers or prescribes drugs or medicinal preparations to be used by any other person;

(3) Severs or penetrates the tissues of human beings;

(4) Uses on cards, books, papers, signs, or other written or printed means of giving information to the public, in the conduct of any occupation or profession pertaining to the diagnosis or treatment of human disease or conditions the designation "doctor of medicine," "physician," "surgeon," "m.d.," or any combination thereof unless such designation additionally contains the description of another branch of the healing arts for which a person has a license: PROVIDED HOWEVER, That a person licensed under this chapter shall not engage in the practice of chiropractic as defined in RCW 18.25.005.

[ 2011 c 336 s 496; 1975 1st ex.s. c 171 s 15.]

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 16 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1987–2025 · leading case: Columbia Physical Therapy, Inc. v. Benton Franklin Orthopedic Assocs., PLLC, 228 P.3d 1260 (Wash. 2010).

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Columbia Physical Therapy, Inc. v. Benton Franklin Orthopedic Assocs., PLLC, 228 P.3d 1260 (Wash. 2010). · cites it 2× “The practice of medicine is defined by RCW 18.71.011(1) as “[o]ffer[ing] or undertaking] to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary, by any means or…”

Yow v. Dep't of Health Unlicensed Practice Prog., 199 P.3d 417 (Wash. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 10× “¶33 We conclude that Yow’s conduct constitutes the practice of medicine under RCW 18.71.011. The Findings of Fact demonstrate that Yow was offering or undertaking to *822 diagnose human ailments, infirmities, and conditions by the instrumentality of colonic irrigation.”

Matter of Det. of As, 955 P.2d 836 (Wash. Ct. App. 1998). “Work engaged in the unlicensed practice of medicine, citing RCW 18.71.011, which defines the practice of medicine to include the diagnosis of mental conditions.”

State v. Tracy, 147 P.3d 559 (Wash. 2006). “RCW 18.71.011(2). Had Ms. Tracy's California physician given her a prescription for Vicodin, [7] one of the addictive pain medications which she was trying to avoid with the help of small amounts of marijuana, that prescription would be legal, and she could have filled the…”

State v. Tracy, 158 Wash. 2d 683 (Wash. 2006). “RCW 18.71.011(2). Had Ms. Tracy’s California physician given her a prescription for Vicodin, 13 one of the addictive pain medications which she was trying to avoid with the help of small amounts of marijuana, that prescription would be *698 legal, and she could have filled the…”

Morelli v. Ehsan, 756 P.2d 129 (Wash. 1988). · cites it 2× “The practice of medicine is defined in RCW 18.71.011(1) as anyone who Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental .”

State v. Pac. Health Ctr., Inc., 143 P.3d 618 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 3× “Under RCW 18.71.011, a person practices medicine if, among other things, he or she (1) Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary, by any…”

State v. Pac. Health Ctr., Inc., 135 Wash. App. 149 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 3× “Under RCW 18.71.011, a person practices medicine if, among other things, he or she (1) Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, defor *161 mity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary,…”

State v. Greene, 960 P.2d 980 (Wash. Ct. App. 1998). “See RCW 18.71.011 (defining the practice of medicine); RCW 18.”

McKenna v. Harrison Mem'l Hosp., 960 P.2d 486 (Wash. Ct. App. 1998). “, RCW 18.71.011 (definition of the practice of medicine); RCW 18.”

Washington State Dept. of Health v. Yow, 199 P.3d 417 (Wash. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 10× “¶ 33 We conclude that Yow's conduct constitutes the practice of medicine under RCW 18.71.011. The Findings of Fact demonstrate that Yow was offering or undertaking to diagnose human ailments, infirmities, and conditions by the instrumentality of colonic irrigation.”

Morelli v. Ehsan, 737 P.2d 1030 (Wash. Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 2× “Morelli also points out that the statute defining the practice of medicine, RCW 18.71.011, does not expressly include the ownership, maintenance or operation of an office, as does the dental statute, the previous codification of which was involved in both Boren and Conway .”

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— Wash. Rev. Code § 18.71.011(1) — 6 cases

Columbia Physical Therapy, Inc. v. Benton Franklin Orthopedic Assocs., PLLC, 228 P.3d 1260 (Wash. 2010). “The practice of medicine is defined by RCW 18.71.011(1) as “[o]ffer[ing] or undertaking] to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary, by any means or…”

Morelli v. Ehsan, 756 P.2d 129 (Wash. 1988). “The practice of medicine is defined in RCW 18.71.011(1) as anyone who Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental .”

State v. Pac. Health Ctr., Inc., 143 P.3d 618 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006). “Under RCW 18.71.011, a person practices medicine if, among other things, he or she (1) Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, deformity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary, by any…”

State v. Pac. Health Ctr., Inc., 135 Wash. App. 149 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006). “Under RCW 18.71.011, a person practices medicine if, among other things, he or she (1) Offers or undertakes to diagnose, cure, advise or prescribe for any human disease, ailment, injury, infirmity, defor *161 mity, pain or other condition, physical or mental, real or imaginary,…”

Columbia Physical Therapy v. Bfoa, 228 P.3d 1260 (Wash. 2010).

— Wash. Rev. Code § 18.71.011(2) — 2 cases

— Wash. Rev. Code § 18.71.011(3) — 1 case

Tyler Arnold v. Dep't of Health (Wash. Ct. App. 2016).

— Wash. Rev. Code § 18.71.011(4) — 4 cases

Yow v. Dep't of Health Unlicensed Practice Prog., 199 P.3d 417 (Wash. Ct. App. 2008). “¶33 We conclude that Yow’s conduct constitutes the practice of medicine under RCW 18.71.011. The Findings of Fact demonstrate that Yow was offering or undertaking to *822 diagnose human ailments, infirmities, and conditions by the instrumentality of colonic irrigation.”

Washington State Dept. of Health v. Yow, 199 P.3d 417 (Wash. Ct. App. 2008). “¶ 33 We conclude that Yow's conduct constitutes the practice of medicine under RCW 18.71.011. The Findings of Fact demonstrate that Yow was offering or undertaking to diagnose human ailments, infirmities, and conditions by the instrumentality of colonic irrigation.”

Columbia Physical Therapy v. Bfoa, 228 P.3d 1260 (Wash. 2010).

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