IDFPR Enforcement of Acupuncturist

Acupuncturists are regulated by the State of Illinois. There are a number of different statutes that apply to acupuncturists, as well as extensive administrative regulations. The primary statute that regulated the profession is the Acupuncture Practice Act. The law and regulations include:

• Licensing standards and requirements
• Scope of acupuncturist practice and standards of care
• Education requirements and standards
• Disciplinary action for violations of laws and regulations

The significant regulation for acupuncturists reflects the government’s interest in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of citizens. Only acupuncturists who meet specific requirements are permitted to practice in Illinois.

When Can an Acupuncturist Lose His or Her License — or Face Professional Discipline — in Illinois?

The Illinois Acupuncture Practice Act contains numerous types of conduct that can warrant disciplinary action. Examples of issues regulated by the Act and the corresponding administrative rules include:

• Failure to provide a patient with a copy of his or her record upon the written request of the patient.
• Gross negligence in the practice of acupuncture.
• Habitual or excessive use or addiction to alcohol, narcotics, stimulants, or any other chemical agent or drug that results in an acupuncturist’s inability to practice with reasonable judgment, skill, or safety.
• Being named as a perpetrator in an indicated report by the Department of Children and Family Services under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the licensee has caused a child to be an abused child or a neglected child as defined in the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
• Using claims of superior quality of care to entice the public or advertising fee comparisons of available services with those of other persons providing acupuncture services.
• Failure to refer a patient whose condition should, at the time of evaluation or treatment, be determined to be beyond the scope of practice of the acupuncturist to a licensed physician or dentist.