Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
a) The
Department may suspend or revoke a license, refuse to issue or renew a license
or take other disciplinary action based upon its finding of "unethical,
unauthorized, or unprofessional conduct" within the meaning of Section 95 of
the Act, which is interpreted to include, but is not limited to, the following
acts or practices:
1) Discriminating against
clients on the basis of race, gender, religion, age, national origin, political
affiliation, social or economic status, choice of lifestyle or sexual
orientation;
2) Promoting or
endorsing products in a manner that is not true or is misleading;
3) Permitting the use of his or her name to
certify that professional services have been rendered when the licensee has not
provided or supervised those services. When providing supervision the licensee
shall assume responsibility for the actions of any person under their
supervision;
4) Making gross or
deliberate misrepresentations or misleading claims as to his or her
professional qualifications or of the efficacy or value of his or her nutrition
services, or those of another practitioner;
5) Submission of fraudulent claims for
services to any health insurance company or health service plan or third party
payor;
6) Refusing to divulge to
the Department techniques or procedures used in his or her professional
activities upon request;
7)
Practicing or offering to practice beyond one's competency (for example,
providing services and techniques for which one is not qualified by education,
training and experience);
8)
Directly or indirectly giving to or receiving from any person, firm or
corporation any fee, commission, rebate or other form of compensation for any
professional services not actually rendered;
9) Making false or misleading statements
designed to induce a client to purchase services, goods, appliances or drugs as
to exploit the client for the financial gain of the licensee or of a third
party;
10) Failing to make
available to a client, upon request, copies of documents in the possession or
under the control of the licensee that have been prepared for and paid for by
the client;
11) Revealing of
personally identifiable facts, data or information obtained in a professional
capacity without the prior consent of the client, except as authorized or
required by law;
12) Delegating
professional responsibilities to a person when the licensee delegating those
responsibilities knows or has reason to know that the person is not qualified,
by training, by experience or by licensure, to perform them;
13) Performing professional services that
have not been duly authorized by the client or his or her legal
representative;
14) Failing to
comply with the following applicable designation:
A) the 2009 American Dietetic
Association/Commission on Dietetic
Registration Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics
and Process for Consideration of Ethics Issues, published July 22, 2009 by the
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000,
Chicago, Illinois, are hereby incorporated by reference with no later
amendments or editions;
B)
the 2004 American Clinical Board of Nutrition Certification Agreement,
published December 1, 2005 by the American Clinical Board of Nutrition
Certification, 6855 Browntown Road, Front Royal, Virginia 22630, are hereby
incorporated by reference with no later amendments or editions;
C) the Certified Clinical Nutritionist Code
of Professional Ethics and Responsibility, published December 15, 1991 by the
Clinical Nutrition Certification Board, 15280 Addison Road, Suite 130, Addison,
Texas 75001, are hereby incorporated by reference with no later amendments or
editions; or
D) the Board for
Certification of Nutrition Specialists 2013 Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct, effective July 23, 2013, published by the Board for Certification of
Nutrition Specialists, 4707 Willow Springs Road, Suite 207, La Grange, Illinois
60525, are hereby incorporated by reference with no later amendments or
editions.
b)
A dietitian nutritionist shall not advertise in any way that is fraudulent,
false, deceptive or misleading. Any advertising shall be considered fraudulent,
false, deceptive or misleading if it:
1)
Contains a misrepresentation of facts;
2) Makes only a partial disclosure of
relevant, material facts;
3)
Represents that professional services can or will be completely performed for a
stated fee when this is not the case, or makes representations with respect to
fees for professional services that do not disclose all variables affecting the
fees that will in fact be charged;
4) Represents the licensee in a deceptive or
misleading manner with respect to the profession or professional status of the
licensee;
5) Contains any
representation of a special area of practice by the licensee that implies that
the licensee requires a superior license or formal recognition by the
Department other than a licensed dietitian nutritionist;
6) Makes false, unproven or misleading claims
about the validity, safety, or effectiveness of any dietetic or nutrition
related service, product or test;
7) Fails to conspicuously identify the
licensee by name in the advertisement; or
8) Makes a guarantee of success.