I oppose athletic trainers doing "dry needling". "Dry needling" IS acupuncture, just by another name. Anyone practicing this technique should be held to the same standards as an acupuncturist.
This proposal threatens public safety, increases risk and liability to the Board of Medicine, and undermines the rigorous education and licensure standards that licensed acupuncturists must meet and are enacted by Virginia Law and regulations.
The arguments FOR this measure focus on the benefits for the athletic trainers vs the patient/client & fail to take into serious consideration the amount of training necessary to perform this type of needling safely & effectively.
