Wisconsin

In August 2013, the Acupuncture Center (consisting of the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine and the Wisconsin Society of Certified Acupuncturists filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Racine County in Wisconsin versus the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Examining Board, and the Wisconsin Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules demanding that the Defendants “formulate and publicize a rule prohibiting the therapeutic insertion of solid filiform needles into patients ….” The lawsuit was found to have no validity and was dismissed.

The Wisconsin Physical Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board had to rescind this decision executive order that affected all licensing boards’ ability to issue this type of guidance. Essentially the executive order required this type of statutory interpretation to be done through rulemaking. The Wisconsin Physical Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board has not taken any action rulemaking regarding dry needling.

In July 2009, the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Affiliated Credentialing Board determined trigger point dry needling as within the scope of practice of physical therapy provided that the licensed physical therapist is properly educated and trained.