Washington Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine Association (WAEMA) supports the Acupuncture Society of Virginia (ASVA) in opposing the proposed amendment to 18VAC85-120-110, which seeks to expand the scope of practice for Athletic Trainers to include dry needling.

 

Dry needling is an invasive procedure that involves inserting acupuncture needles into soft tissue. While many Western practitioners try to claim that dry needling is a physical modality and acupuncture is "only" a channel-based or energetic modality, this is factually untrue. Dry needling, the use of filiform needles that do not inject substances, is acupuncture. Acupuncture is both energetic and physical and cannot be differentiated from dry needling. Regardless of what it is called, acupuncture is an advanced medical intervention which requires rigorous education in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and clean needle techniques. This is taught comprehensively in accredited acupuncture and Eastern medicine programs.

 

Our concern is grounded in experience as Washington state has seen a number of non-acupuncture practitioners take up dry needling. We are starting to see injuries and poor experiences surface from patients who were treated by those who are poorly educated  or practiced.  This continues to put public safety at risk and undermines professional standards. In WA state, the only practitioners who can perform dry needling are acupuncturists, MD, DO, ARNP, Naturopaths, and Physical Therapists with over 300 hours of additional training and practice. These are all doctoral level professions and even then we have seen injuries arise due to the invasive and complex nature of the practice.

 

WAEMA urges the Virginia Board of Medicine to reject this amendment and to uphold the integrity and safety of invasive medical procedures like dry needling.

 

Respectfully,

WAEAMA Board