                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

WHAT CONSTITUTES PRACTICE; ADVERTISING IN CONNECTION WITH MEDICAL PRACTICE (§
54.1-2903)

A. Any person shall be regarded as practicing the healing arts who actually
engages in such practice as defined in this chapter, or who opens an office for
such purpose, or who advertises or announces to the public in any manner a
readiness to practice or who uses in connection with his name the words or
letters &#8220;Doctor,&#8221; &#8220;Dr.,&#8221; &#8220;M.D.,&#8221;
&#8220;D.O.,&#8221; &#8220;D.P.M.,&#8221; &#8220;D.C.,&#8221;
&#8220;Healer,&#8221; &#8220;N.P.,&#8221; or any other title, word, letter or
designation intending to designate or imply that he is a practitioner of the
healing arts or that he is able to heal, cure or relieve those suffering from
any injury, deformity or disease.
			Signing a birth or death certificate, or signing any statement certifying
that the person so signing has rendered professional service to the sick or
injured, or signing or issuing a prescription for drugs or other remedial
agents, shall be prima facie evidence that the person signing or issuing such
writing is practicing the healing arts within the meaning of this chapter except
where persons other than physicians are required to sign birth certificates.

B. No person regulated under this chapter shall use the title
&#8220;Doctor&#8221; or the abbreviation &#8220;Dr.&#8221; in writing or in
advertising in connection with his practice unless he simultaneously uses words,
initials, an abbreviation or designation, or other language that identifies the
type of practice for which he is licensed. No person regulated under this
chapter shall include in any advertisement a reference to marijuana, as defined
in &#xA7; 18.2-247, unless such advertisement is for the treatment of addiction
or substance abuse. However, nothing in this subsection shall prevent a person
from including in any advertisement that such person is registered with the
Board of Directors of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to issue written
certifications for the use of cannabis products, as defined in &#xA7; 4.1-1600.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 54-275; 1958, c. 161; 1966, c. 657; 1973, c. 529; 1975,
c. 508; 1988, c. 765; 1991, c. 102; 1996, cc. 937, 980; 2000, c. 688; 2018, c.
776; 2019, c. 656; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 227, 228; 2023, cc. 740, 773.