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Acupuncture group urges board to oppose dry‑needling expansion without matched training
Summary
A representative of the California Acupuncture Coalition asked the Physical Therapy Board to consider patient safety before allowing dry needling within physical therapy scope, citing training differences between acupuncturists and practitioners who perform dry needling.
A public commenter representing the California Acupuncture Coalition urged the board to consider patient safety concerns if dry needling is treated as part of the physical therapy scope of practice.
Ryan McCarthy of the California Acupuncture Coalition told the board he was concerned “that patient care could be compromised, by allowing other professions to practice acupuncture treatment without the same level of education that is required to become a licensed acupuncturist in the state.” He described California acupuncturists’ education requirements and said much of the dry‑needling literature draws on acupuncture research and largely uses the same stimulation points.
McCarthy said professional collaboration is welcome but argued that states should not permit invasive needle procedures without comparable training. “Allowing people to practice needle medicine without proper training is dangerous for all involved,” he said.
Why it matters: The comment was made during the public‑comment period and asked the board to weigh training comparability and patient safety if regulatory scope or statutory language related to dry needling is considered in the sunset process.
What’s next: The board did not take action on the public comment at the meeting; the comment was recorded for the record and may inform stakeholder input if scope‑of‑practice or sunset issues related to dry needling arise.
