Date: 24-Feb-2009

Physiotherapists and the Practice of Acupuncture

As many physiotherapists will recall, the Ontario government passed the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act. While this law is not yet proclaimed into force, when it does come into effect it will create the new regulated health professions of acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

The law will also significantly restrict who can provide acupuncture services in the province by amending Ontario Regulation 107/96 (Controlled Acts) under the regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and thereby narrow the current provision that allows anyone to perform acupuncture. The revised regulation will list those health professionals who can provide acupuncture when it is within the scope of practice of that profession and its performance meets the standard of practice of that profession.

Physiotherapists are one of the professions that will retain its ability to provide acupuncture.

These changes mean that physiotherapists will be permitted to continue to perform acupuncture when it is provided in accordance with the standards of practice established by the profession and when it is provided for services that are within the scope of the practice of physiotherapy.

In keeping with these requirements, the College originally proposed to develop a Standard for Professional Practice: Acupuncture. However, when this proposed standard was distributed, registrants expressed their concern about it. Of particular concern was that the College appeared to be treating acupuncture differently from other modalities that physiotherapists provide to their patients.

After considering this feedback, the College Council revisited the standard and determined that a more general standard that would apply to the performance of all controlled acts, including acupuncture, was a more appropriate approach.

This standard was recently approved by Council and along with a Guide and other supporting materials, will soon be available in the Registrants’ Guide on the College website.

January, 2008

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