I am an Acupuncturist in Boulder, CO and have had horror stories on Physical Therapists performing Dry Needling. Essentially this is Acupuncture, Ashi point Acupuncture or trigger point therapy. The reason why it has been changed to Dry Needling is because legally Physical Therapist cannot say Acupuncture unless they have completes a Four year program and over 4,000 clinic hours. I am currently doing my Doctorate in Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture and I can certainly say I have over 10,000 hours of clinical/ classroom experience in inserting needles. During our program we learn exactly how deep the needles should be inserted in each area of the body. Due to lack of knowledge and practice/classroom/clinical eperience, Physical Therapist seem to not know this rule. In Colordo, I know of two PT's that have caused pneumothrorax in individuals, in turn this gives our perfession a bad name, let alone when the dry needling technique does not work then our patients think Acupuncture also does not work. Overall, PT, Chiropractors and any other professional therapist should attend a university program and a broad certified training before calling themselves a certain type of Doctor/Therapist. I myself would never say I do PT work because I am not a PT, I am a Broad Certified DAOM, and that is what I practice. I refer out to PT, Chiropractors, Massage therapists, M.Ds, N.Ds and so on because I know that is what they do. I believe every practitioner should respect their field and stick with it unless they do furture educational required amount of training, such as the original schooling for there current position before deciding to include practices that DO NOT PERTAIN TO THERE SCHOOLING. I hope everyone understands this is the best and safest way to practice medicine. I hope for our safey and the patients safety, the committee opposes this proposition. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you,

Elif Kuzu, L.Ac., Dipl OM, DAOM