Testimonials from Friends of WI Chapter 451

---

“There is pressure from the chiropractic profession in Wisconsin to allow them to practice acupuncture with less than the measure of competency reflected by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). This is reckless and dangerous to the citizens of the State of Wisconsin. As president of the only accredited acupuncture college in Wisconsin, it is essential that all acupuncture practitioners are well trained, graduate from an accredited acupuncture college, and show competency through the correct examinations.”

“As a former dean of the Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a quality education in traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture. There is a national competency standard established by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and every practitioner in Wisconsin should meet the qualification to be able to practice acupuncture. Chiropractors should have the same acupuncture qualifications as licensed acupuncturists. Any less serves to put acupuncture patients at risk.”

I am the Vice-president of the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). As a board member of the premier council determining national standard for acupuncture education, chiropractors should be held to the same standards of competency as licensed, national board certified acupuncturists. While I respect the basic science education of chiropractors, there is no shortcut to receiving proper education in Chinese medicine and acupuncture. Acupuncture is not merely the insertion of a needle; it requires proper ZangFu diagnostic and correctly designed treatment strategy to facilitate a proper treatment. 

Wisconsin supports the safety of its citizens by its licensing requirements for professional acupuncturists. As a professional educator and higher education learning outcomes expert, I recognize the importance of rigorously developed standards that support the expertise of practitioners achieving specific licenses. It is essential that Wisconsin legislators know and understand the role of the licensing of acupuncturist. We need to speak with one voice in letting our lawmakers know that we support them in their support of 451. We also must encourage our lawmakers to see that acupuncture requires high levels of training and preparation and cannot be performed by other professionals with minimal knowledge and experience. 

 As a former Milwaukee alderman and currently a member of MCOM’s advisory board, the community interest is paramount when considering any change or alteration to medical practices in Wisconsin. In the past, the chiropractic profession has worked to undermine the standards and competencies for the practice of acupuncture by proposing legislation, which undermines the safety of the public. The practice of acupuncture as regulated through Wisconsin Chapter 451 has been successful in protecting the public and upholding the highest standard for this important profession, especially considering the application of acupuncture when addressing the opioid crisis, which plagues our country.