We, a coalition of U.S. veteran beneficiaries, acupuncture patients, and supporters of patient safety, petition the VA, White House, HHS, congressional Veterans’ Affairs Committees, major veterans’ service organizations, and all state legislators to take immediate action.

THE CORE ISSUE: Dry Needling Is Acupuncture — Rebranded with Lower Standards
Acupuncture is a key pillar of a time-tested, complete medical system—one that demands extensive training to unlock its full effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. “Dry needling” uses identical FDA-classified filiform needles and elicits the same neurological, humoral, and immune responses.

It is an acupuncture technique stripped of its full Traditional Chinese Medicine framework and rebranded.

Click here for more documented cases of dry needling injuries caused by undertrained physical therapists.
 BROADER HARM TO VETERANS & THE PROFESSION
Insurance reimbursement for acupuncture is largely limited to musculoskeletal pain — the exact domain now claimed by “dry needling.” This has led to declining enrollment in acupuncture programs, school closures, and erosion of a profession that has safely served veterans for over 50 years. Veterans deserve the full spectrum of holistic medicine that produced Nobel Laureate Tu Youyou and transformed global health. Fragmented, lower-standard care will never rise to that standard and threatens to dismantle this much-needed safe non-pharmacological medical care in the United States.

OUR DEMANDS — ACT NOW TO PROTECT VETERANS

1.  VA Leadership: Require 4,000+ hours + supervised clinical training for any filiform needle procedure. Prioritize hiring licensed acupuncturists and guarantee comprehensive access to acupuncture across all VA programs—including TRICARE and CHAMPVA—by making these services available in hospitals, home health care, and nursing home settings.

2.  State Legislators: Require full acupuncture licensure for any therapeutic filiform needle use.

3.  California Specifically: Reject or amend AB 2497. Veterans in California: contact your legislators today to oppose this bill.

4.  Federal Action: The White House, and congressional Veterans’ Affairs Committees must intervene to establish consistent federal safeguards for veterans’ care nationwide.

5.  Leadership of Veterans’ service organizations: NOW is the time to step forward and protect the veterans you are sworn to serve.

6.  Congress & HHS: Recognize acupuncturists as Medicare providers and expand coverage for veterans.

WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

Sign & share this petition with veterans, family, and your VA team

Contact state legislators (especially CA) to reject AB 2497

Urge your congressional reps on Veterans’ Affairs Committees to demand high standards of needle-based therapy

Patient safety is not negotiable. Veterans deserve safe, qualified, holistic care.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION. SIGN AND SHARE TODAY!