Coalition urges board to warn public about unlicensed dry needling; staff reiterate complaint process

Representatives of the California Acupuncture Coalition and other public commenters urged the California Acupuncture Board Licensing Committee on Wednesday to issue consumer advisories and conduct outreach after what they described as growing reports of unlicensed “dry needling” performed by non‑acupuncturists.

Why this matters: Commenters said unlicensed practice puts patients at risk and can leave injured individuals reluctant to report incidents. They recommended proactive consumer education and direct outreach to athletic programs and universities where they say the practice is common.

Ryan McCarthy, speaking for the California Acupuncture Coalition, said the group has “heard some stories” of athletes receiving dry needling from physical therapists who were not licensed to practice acupuncture and urged the board to publish a consumer advisory and expand outreach: “We would strongly encourage the board to adopt … an advisory warning against unlicensed dry needling on the CAB website and through the Department of Consumer Affairs,” he said. Lynn Yang, vice president of AACMA and speaking for the coalition, urged inclusion of dry needling in public brochures and warned against outright bans for some traditional techniques without safety‑focused regulation.

Staff and legal counsel described how the board handles alleged unlicensed practice. Executive Officer Ben Bodea and legal counsel told listeners that the board maintains an online complaint portal and can investigate when a complainant provides evidence. Staff emphasized limitations: anonymous tips are harder to act on and the board needs substantive evidence to open an investigation. “We would need the individual making the complaint … to provide that indication of what evidence is possible to see and their name and contact information,” staff said.

Commenters suggested outreach to athletic departments and university teams to inform athletes and trainers about the legal status of needling techniques. The committee did not adopt a formal advisory at the meeting but asked staff to accept proposals and noted that public education materials are an option the board can pursue.