                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

UNLAWFUL TO PRACTICE ACUPUNCTURE WITHOUT LICENSE; UNLAWFUL DESIGNATION AS
ACUPUNCTURIST; BOARD TO REGULATE ACUPUNCTURISTS (§ 54.1-2956.9)

It shall be unlawful for a person to practice or to hold himself out as
practicing as an acupuncturist unless he holds a license as such issued by the
Board. A person licensed to practice acupuncture, when using the title
&#8220;acupuncturist,&#8221; shall include therewith the designation Lic.Ac. or
L.Ac.

In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person who is not licensed under this
chapter, whose licensure has been suspended or revoked, or whose licensure has
lapsed and has not been renewed to use in conjunction with his name the words
&#8220;licensed acupuncturist&#8221; or to otherwise by letters, words,
representations, or insignias assert or imply that he is licensed to practice
acupuncture.

The Board of Medicine shall prescribe by regulation the qualifications governing
the licensure of acupuncturists. Such regulations shall not restrict the
practice of this profession to practitioners regulated by the Board on June 30,
1992, to practice the healing arts. The regulations shall at a minimum require
that, prior to performing acupuncture, any acupuncturist who is not licensed to
practice medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic or podiatry shall either (i) obtain
written documentation that the patient had received a diagnostic examination
from a licensed practitioner of medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic or podiatry
with regard to the ailment or condition to be treated or (ii) provide to the
patient a written recommendation for such a diagnostic examination. The
regulations may include requirements for approved education programs,
experience, and examinations. The regulations shall exempt from the requirement
for Test of Spoken English (TSE) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL) any foreign speaking acupuncturist who speaks the language of the
majority of his clients.

HISTORY: 1991, c. 643; 1993, c. 753; 1996, c. 470; 1999, c. 779; 2000, c. 814.