SB 246 - OHIO SENATE HHSAC PASSES BILL

The Ohio State Senate Health Human Service and Aging Committee passed SB 246 (8-0), allowing chiropractors to perform acupuncture with only 300 hours of training.

On May 10, 2006, the Senate Bill (SB 246) was voted on and passed by the Ohio State Senate Health Human Service and Aging Committee with the vote result of 8 to 0. This Senate Bill would allow chiropractors to perform acupuncture (including moxibustion and electrical stimulation) with only 300 hours of training (200 hours direct clinic instruction and 100 hours theories study) and to supervise acupuncturists in Ohio.

This Senate Bill is sponsored by Senator Kirk Schuring, and co-sponsored by Senators Jeffery J, Armbruster, Kimberly Zurz, Robert Hagan, Randy Gardner, Patricia Clancy, and Teresa Fedor. Senator Kirk Schuring introduced it to the Ohio State Senate on December 30, 2005.

The first hearing was held on Feb. 8, 2006. There were 6 hearings for this bill. As the official representative of the acupuncture profession, the Ohio Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (OAAOM) has attended all the hearing and organized our members and the practitioners in Ohio to give testimony to oppose this bill. In addition, we have organized a public petition in opposition to it. We also have visited the individual senator’s offices to put forth our opposition.

Dr. Will Morris, the President of AAOM, and Dr. Michael McCoy, the Executive Director of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance, both came to Columbus, Ohio and offered excellent, incisive testimony that helped to slow down the process. Additionally the AAOM, AOMAlliance, NCCAOM, Sherri Tenpenny, D.O., and David Wells, D.C., L.Ac. sent letters in opposition to SB 246 to the sponsors of SB246 as well as the members of the Health, Human Services and Aging Committee.

We have provided strong, logical reasons against the approval of this bill. Unfortunately, no progress has been made. The Medical and Osteopathic Associations and the Medical Board of Ohio State (acupuncture supervising board) are not opposing this, and the bill was still passed by the committee.

The Ohio Chiropractic Board is very strong both politically and financially. They have hired 3 lobbyists to work on SB 246. This goes far to explain why the HHA committee, while ignoring the professional standard established to govern the acupuncture profession, has passed SB 246.

SB 246 is going to be sent to the house. We will continue to oppose it and defend the practitioners of acupuncture and oriental medicine in Ohio. Ohio passed the acupuncture law in August of 2000 with a physician’s referral requirement. Chinese herbal practice is not part of the Registered Acupuncturist’s scope of practice. We still have a long way to go to make the practice environment ideal. Your ideas on how to further oppose this bill are highly appreciated. Your help and support will be necessary. Please contact David Dehui Wang, President, OAAOM, at dhwang88@yahoo.com. Or at 614-668-2886.

David Wang, President of OAAOM