Medical Pluralism and the State: Regulatory Language Requirements for Traditional Acupuncturists in English-Dominant Diaspora Jurisdictions

Abstract

Regulation of traditional acupuncturists has proven controversial in several jurisdictions. In this work, we detail and analyze the range of English-language registration, practice, and record-keeping requirements for regulated traditional acupuncturists across Canada, the United States, and Australia. Drawing on the results of an extensive documentary review and 28 qualitative interviews, we identify five primary themes underpinning policy-related discourses and debate: patient safety; standardized, integrated health care systems; economic considerations; traditional knowledge protection; and culturally inclusive care delivery. We critically examine these policy discourses, positioning them within a broader literature related to language policies in multiculturalist states and considering their relevance to the question of traditional medicine professional regulation in diaspora. With reference to the principle of regulatory equity, and to the concept of a pluralistic public, we present a set of recommendations for traditional medicine regulators contending simultaneously with clinical and cultural considerations.