 |
 | The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the English-speaking world and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(February 2013) |
Regulation of acupuncture is done by governmental bodies to ensure safe practice.
|
| The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the English-speaking world and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject.(February 2013) |
Regulation of acupuncture is done by governmental bodies to ensure safe practice.
In 2000, the Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria, Australia (CMBV) was established as an independent government agency to oversee the practice of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture in the state. [1] In 2005 the Parliamentary Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission in the Australian state of New South Wales commissioned a report investigating Traditional Chinese medicine practice. [2] They recommended the introduction of a government-appointed registration board that would regulate the profession by restricting use of the titles "acupuncturist", "Chinese herbal medicine practitioner" and "Chinese medicine practitioner". The aim of registration was to protect the public from the risks of acupuncture by ensuring a high baseline level of competency and education of registered acupuncturists, enforcing guidelines regarding continuing professional education and investigating complaints of practitioner conduct. Currently acupuncturists in NSW are bound by the guidelines in the Public Health (Skin Penetration) Regulation 2000 [3] which is enforced at local council level. In 2012 the CMBV became the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia, and in 2013 established an interim accreditation standard for the profession in partnership with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. [4] The legislation put in place stipulates that only practitioners who are state-registered may use the following titles: Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Registered Acupuncturist, Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner, and Registered Chinese Herbal Medicine Practitioner.
In Brazil, acupuncturists are not required to have any college level education. Currently, biomedicians, [5] biologists, [6] pharmacists, [7] among other health professionals, have regulated acupuncture.
While some medical doctors defend that practicing acupuncture is exclusive to medical doctors, the National Council of Health came in public to clarify the matter [8]
The Parliament is on their way to pass a law that will definitely stablish who can practice acupuncture. [9]
In Canada the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta and Quebec have acupuncture licensing programs. In many provinces that are not subject to government regulation, employers will require candidates qualify for membership at the local chapter of the Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Association of Canada. [10] The province of Ontario, Canada, created the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act in 2006, which created the College of Traditional Chinese Practitioners and Acupuncturists. [10] To be licensed in Ontario, acupuncturists need to register with the college, pass a series of tests and demonstrate an experience-equivalent of having seen more than 2,000 patients over five years. [11]
In Quebec, the practice of acupuncture has been regulated since 1995 by the Ordre des acupuncteurs du Québec (OAQ).[ citation needed ]
At least 28 countries in Europe have professional associations for acupuncturists. [12]
Since 1955, the French advisory body Académie Nationale de Médecine (National Academy of Medicine) has accepted acupuncture as part of medical practice. [13] Acupuncture is also routinely reimbursed by social security when performed or prescribed by a doctor or practitioner. [14]
Following the German acupuncture trials from 2006 to 2007, the Federal Joint Committee (an agency similar to the National Institutes of Health in the United States) passed a law which allows the reimbursement of acupuncture treatment by the public health insurance system for the following ailments: chronic lower back pain [15] and chronic knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. [15] In 2006, German researchers published the results of one of the first and largest randomized controlled clinical trials. [16] As a result of the trial's conclusions, some insurance corporations in Germany no longer reimburse acupuncture treatments. [16] The trials also had a negative impact on acupuncture in the international community. [16]
In Japan, acupuncture practitioners are licensed by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare after passing an examination and graduating from a technical school or university. [12]
Traditional/lay acupuncture is not a regulated health profession. Osteopaths have a scope of practice for Western Medical Acupuncture and Related Needling Techniques. [17] The state-owned Accident Compensation Corporation reimburses for acupuncture treatment by registered health care practitioners and some traditional/lay acupuncturists that belong to voluntary professional associations. [18]
In 2022, the Ceylon Association of Medical Acupuncturists (CAMA) was established as a self-regulatory body for the practice of Acupuncture and TCM in Sri Lanka.
Background
Medical acupuncture was introduced to Sri Lanka by Professor Anton Jayasuriya Archived 2023-03-31 at the Wayback Machine . In 1974, Professor Jayasuriya was granted a scholarship by the Government of Sri Lanka and the World Health Organization (WHO) to study acupuncture in the People's Republic of China. After receiving his certification to practice, Professor Jayasuriya embarked on a mission to teach the art of acupuncture and traditional medicine. [19] His teachings attracted a wide range of individuals from over 140 countries who were interested in complementary medicine. However, it is worth noting that these teachings or individuals who completed the training did not have a government-authorized regulatory body to be registered, nor were they registered in the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) or the Ayurvedic Medical Council as acupuncture practitioners. As a result, there was an increase in malpractice of acupuncture in Sri Lanka. [20]
To address the issue of unregulated acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) malpractice, a group of medical acupuncturists who graduated from the acupuncture program at Kaatsu International University (KIU) took the initiative to form a self-regulatory body. Their aim was to gather professionals in the field of acupuncture and TCM to maintain high professional standards in the practice of acupuncture in Sri Lanka.
On June 22, 2022, this self-regulatory body, known as the Ceylon Association of Medical Acupuncturists (CAMA), was initiated by Dr. Vimukthi Asahara, Dr. Adheesha D. Dayarathna, and Dr. Imesha Hemasinghe. The inaugural general meeting of CAMA was held on July 21, 2022, with the participation of 17 members. Dr. Vimukthi Asahara was elected as the first president of the association, Dr. Imesha Hemasinghe as the vice president, and Dr. Kaveesha D. Ranasinghe as the secretary. Dr. C. Indrapala was appointed as the chief advisor.
It is important to note that on January 7, 2015, the Kaatsu International University (KIU) initiated a bachelor's degree program in acupuncture, which was the first recognized program of its kind by the University Grants Commission [21] and the Ministry of Higher Education in Sri Lanka. [22] This program aimed to establish a solid academic foundation for acupuncture practitioners in Sri Lanka.
The formation of the CAMA and the recognition of the acupuncture program at KIU signify significant steps towards ensuring the safe practice of acupuncture and maintaining high professional standards in Sri Lanka.
Acupuncturists are not a nationally regulated profession in the United Kingdom. Acupuncture practice is regulated by law in England and Wales for health and safety criteria under The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, which has been recently amended by the Local Government Act 2003. Each local authority implements its own policy in accordance with the Act. For example, the London boroughs use the London Local Authorities Act, 1991/2000. Premises and each practitioner offering acupuncture must be licensed. As there is no formal certification of acupuncture, practitioners are exempted from licensing by virtue of being current members of approved acupuncture associations such as the British Acupuncture Council. Physiotherapists are also required to be current members of an approved acupuncture association as body piercing is not part of the entry level curriculum for state registered physiotherapists regulated by the Health Professions Council. The approved acupuncture organisations have rigorous codes of practice and educational requirements and members are covered by the appropriate indemnity insurance. An estimated 7,500 practitioners practise acupuncture to some extent and belong to a relevant professional or regulatory body. About 2,400 are traditional acupuncturists who mostly belong to the British Acupuncture Council, which requires its members to be trained in both traditional acupuncture and relevant biomedical sciences. Approximately 2,200 registered doctors and other statutorily regulated health professionals belong to the British Medical Acupuncture Society. Some 6,000 physiotherapists belong to the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and 250 nurses belong to the British Academy of Western Acupuncture. There are also practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine who belong to one or more associations. [23]
The principal body for professional standards in traditional/lay acupuncture is the British Acupuncture Council, [24] The British Medical Acupuncture Society [25] an inter-disciplinary professional body for regulated health professional using acupuncture as a modality. The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists. [26]
Acupuncturists in the United States are trained and licensed according to criteria set by three professional organizations, all founded in the early 1980s:
Acupuncture regulation in the US began in the 1970s, prompted by an article by New York Times reporter James Reston. [35] In 1973, Nevada became the first US state in the nation to authorizing the practice of acupuncture, and many states thereafter followed suit. [36]
The Food and Drug Administration first regulated acupuncture needles in 1972 as "investigational devices" and later recognized needles for acupuncture uses in 1996. [33] In 1996, the Food and Drug Administration changed the status of acupuncture needles from Class III to Class II medical devices, meaning that needles are regarded as safe and effective when used appropriately by licensed practitioners. [37] [38]
As of 2004, nearly 50% of Americans who were enrolled in employer health insurance plans were covered for acupuncture treatments. [39] [40]
Physical therapists (PTs) in New Jersey must end their use of dry needling by the end of August, after the State Attorney General's office ruled that it was not part of a PT's legal scope of practice. [41] [ dead link ][ needs update ]
Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience; the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientific knowledge, and it has been characterized as quackery.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of action.
Massage is the rubbing or kneading of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. In European countries, a person professionally trained to give massages is traditionally known as a masseur (male) or masseuse (female). In the United States, these individuals are often referred to as "massage therapists;" In some provinces of Canada, they are called "registered massage therapists."
A respiratory therapist is a specialized healthcare practitioner trained in critical care and cardio-pulmonary medicine in order to work therapeutically with people who have acute critical conditions, cardiac and pulmonary disease. Respiratory therapists graduate from a college or university with a degree in respiratory therapy and have passed a national board certifying examination. The NBRC is responsible for credentialing as a CRT, or RRT,
Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is a form of alternative medicine. A wide array of pseudoscientific practices branded as "natural", "non-invasive", or promoting "self-healing" are employed by its practitioners, who are known as naturopaths. Difficult to generalize, these treatments range from the thoroughly discredited, like homeopathy, to the widely-accepted, like certain forms of psychotherapy. The ideology and methods of naturopathy are based on vitalism and folk medicine rather than evidence-based medicine, although practitioners may use techniques supported by evidence. The ethics of naturopathy have been called into question by medical professionals and its practice has been characterized as quackery.
Osteopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. In most countries, practitioners of osteopathy are not medically trained and are referred to as osteopaths.
Optometry is a specialized health care profession that involves examining the eyes and related structures for defects or abnormalities. Optometrists are health care professionals who typically provide comprehensive primary eye care.
A paramedic is a healthcare professional, providing pre-hospital assessment and medical care to people with acute illnesses or injuries. In Canada, the title paramedic generally refers to those who work on land ambulances or air ambulances providing paramedic services. Paramedics are increasingly being utilized in hospitals, emergency rooms, clinics and community health care services by providing care in collaboration with registered nurses, registered/licensed practical nurses and registered respiratory therapists.
Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling and intramuscular stimulation, is a treatment technique used by various healthcare practitioners, including physical therapists, physicians, and chiropractors, among others. Acupuncturists usually maintain that dry needling is adapted from acupuncture, but others consider dry needling as a variation of trigger point injections. It involves the use of either solid filiform needles or hollow-core hypodermic needles for therapy of muscle pain, including pain related to myofascial pain syndrome. Dry needling is mainly used to treat myofascial trigger points, but it is also used to target connective tissue, neural ailments, and muscular ailments. The American Physical Therapy Association defines dry needling as a technique used to treat dysfunction of skeletal muscle and connective tissue, minimize pain, and improve or regulate structural or functional damage.
Chiropractic education trains students in chiropractic. The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of chiropractic programs offered at chiropractic schools vary considerably around the world. Students are trained in academic areas including scopes of practice, neurology, radiology, microbiology, psychology, ethics, biology, gross anatomy, biochemistry, spinal anatomy and more. Prospective students are also usually trained in clinical nutrition, public health, pediatrics and other health or wellness related areas.
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) is a regulatory body in the United Kingdom which provides a voluntary register of complementary, rather than alternative medicine, therapists. The key purpose of CNHC is to act in the public interest and enable proper public accountability of the complementary therapists that it registers.
Physical therapy education varies greatly from country to country. Worldwide, physical therapy training ranges from basic work site education in hospitals and outpatient clinics to professional doctoral degree and masters programs.
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is a non-profit organization in the United States that aims to "establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protection and benefit of the public."
Health professional requisites refer to the regulations used by countries to control the quality of health workers practicing in their jurisdictions and to control the size of the health labour market. They include licensure, certification and proof of minimum training for regulated health professions.
Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine is a graduate school of traditional Oriental medicine in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1983, it offers master's and doctoral programs with full accreditation in acupuncture and Oriental medicine.
Thomas Emmett Duckworth, is an American acupuncturist, founder and director of the Natural Life Therapy Clinic (1980), founder and executive director of the Institute of American Acupuncture and Life Medicine, and an international teacher of Japanese-style acupuncture and the Kototama Principle. He has provided public and professional instruction in Mexico, California, New Mexico, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and throughout Missouri for the past 35 years.
Texas Health and Science University (THSU) is a private for-profit university with its main campus in Austin, Texas and a second campus in San Antonio. It offers graduate and doctoral degrees in acupuncture, and traditional Chinese medicine with a Chinese herbal medicine specialty.
The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) is a self-regulatory body for the practice of traditional acupuncture in the UK.
A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), infrequently spelt as the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency is a statutory authority founded in 2010 which is responsible, in collaboration with the Medical Board of Australia, for registration and accreditation of health professionals as set out in the Australian legislation called the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. As of 2018, approximately 586,000 health professionals were registered with the AHPRA, containing 98,400 medical practitioners (which includes general practitioners, medical specialists and some hospital workers), and 334,000 nurses and midwives. This rose to 825,720 registered health professionals in 2021.
Since 1955, the French Academy of Medicine accetr ted and included Acupunchlre as a part of medicine because it includes both diagnosis and therapeutic treatment
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