FOR YOUR INFORMATION....................April 16, 1990



     The staff of the Federal Trade Commission has submitted
comments to the Tennessee Division of State Audit concerning the
possible restrictive or anticompetitive effects of statutes
governing 14 state agencies under the Tennessee Department of
Health and Environment.

     The comments were requested by the Division of State Audit,
which is conducting a general review of the statutes.  

     The FTC staff comments relate to statutes governing nine
Tennessee health profession regulatory boards:  the Boards of
Chiropractic Examiners, Dentistry, Dispensing Opticians, Examiners
in Psychology, Medical Examiners, Optometry, Osteopathic Examiners,
Registration in Podiatry, and Veterinary Medical Examiners.

     Several of the authorizing statutes "restrict a number of
forms of commercial practice by professional licensees."  Other
statutes may restrict various types of truthful, nondeceptive ad-
vertising, (including price advertising), and solicitation by
licensed professionals, or restrict the provision of health related
services and products by non-traditional providers.  The staff
letter said that some of these restrictions "could have anticom-
petitive effects that may reduce output and increase prices to con-
sumers."

     The comments reflect the views of the staff of the FTC's
Bureau of Competition.  They are not necessarily the views of the
Commission itself or any individual Commissioner.

     Copies of the comments are available from the FTC's Public
Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-326-2222; TTY 202-326-2502.

                              # # #

MEDIA CONTACT:      Susan Ticknor, Office of Public Affairs,
                    202-326-2181

STAFF CONTACT:      George R. Bellack, Bureau of Competition,
                    202-326-2763

(TennRegs)