Delaware Code
Subchapter X. Acupuncture and Eastern Medicine Practitioners
§ 1797. Acupuncture practitioners.

(a) As used in this subchapter:

(1) “Acupuncture” is the stimulation of points on the body by the insertion and manipulation of acupuncture needles using both traditional and modern scientific methods of evaluation and point selection. It also refers to a form of health care, based on a theory of energetic physiology that describes and explains the interrelationship of the body organs or functions with an associated acupuncture point or combination of points located on “channels” or “meridians”. Acupuncture points shall include the classical points defined in authoritative acupuncture texts and special groupings of acupuncture points elicited using generally accepted diagnostic techniques of eastern medicine and selected for stimulation in accord with its principles and practices. Acupuncture points are stimulated in order to restore the normal function of the aforementioned organs or sets of functions. Acupuncture shall also include the ancillary techniques of eastern medicine including moxibustion, acupressure or other forms of manual meridian therapy and recommendations that include eastern dietary therapy, supplements and lifestyle modifications.
(2) “Board” means the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline.
(3) “Council” means the Acupuncture Advisory Council.
(4) “Eastern medicine” means the practice of acupuncture, Chinese herbology and Asian bodywork therapy as part of a comprehensive health-care system encompassing a variety of traditional health-care therapies that have been used for more than 3,000 years to diagnose and treat illness, prevent disease and improve well-being.
(5) “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a license issued by the Board to practice acupuncture.
(6) a. “Practice of acupuncture” means the use of needles with or without electrical stimulation for the purpose of normalizing energetic physiological functions including pain control, and for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health.
b. Needles used in the practice of acupuncture shall only be pre-packaged, single use, sterile acupuncture needles. These needles shall only be used on an individual patient in a single treatment session and disposed of according to federal standards for biohazard waste.
(7) “Practice of eastern medicine” includes the practice of acupuncture and further means making recommendations or prescriptions based in eastern dietary therapy, supplements and lifestyle modifications according to the principles of eastern medicine. Eastern dietary therapy shall be defined as recommending, advising or furnishing nonfraudulent information about herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, carbohydrates, sugars, enzymes, food concentrates, foods, other food supplements, or dietary supplements. For purposes of this paragraph, “fraud” shall be defined as an intentional misrepresentation for financial gain. Legitimate disagreement about the role of the above-listed nutrients and foods as they apply to human nutrition shall not, in and of itself, constitute fraud. These supplemental techniques may be used within the public domain or by another licensed or registered healthcare or bodywork professional, according to state law or regulation.
(b) Nothing in this subchapter shall limit, preclude, or otherwise interfere with the professional activities of other individuals and healthcare providers who are allowed to perform acupuncture. This includes chiropractic, medical and osteopathic physicians.
(c) An individual who is licensed pursuant to this subchapter, who is not being investigated or sanctioned in relation to unprofessional conduct or physical, mental, emotional, or other impairment, may not be prohibited from performing those professional activities included in this section.

Structure Delaware Code