Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 45, November 8, 2024
Section 302 - Practice of Chiropractic(a) Scope of Practice. (1) A duly licensed chiropractor may manipulate and adjust the spinal column and other joints of the human body and in the process thereof a chiropractor may manipulate the muscle and connective tissue related thereto.(2) As part of a course of chiropractic treatment, a duly licensed chiropractor may use all necessary mechanical, hygienic, and sanitary measures incident to the care of the body, including, but not limited to, air, cold, diet, exercise, heat, light, massage, physical culture, rest, ultrasound, water, and physical therapy techniques in the course of chiropractic manipulations and/or adjustments.(3) Other than as explicitly set forth in section 10(b) of the Act, a duly licensed chiropractor may treat any condition, disease, or injury in any patient, including a pregnant woman, and may diagnose, so long as such treatment or diagnosis is done in a manner consistent with chiropractic methods and techniques and so long as such methods and treatment do not constitute the practice of medicine by exceeding the legal scope of chiropractic practice as set forth in this section.(4) A chiropractic license issued in the State of California does not authorize the holder thereof: (A) to practice surgery or to sever or penetrate tissues of human beings, including, but not limited to severing the umbilical cord;(B) to deliver a human child or practice obstetrics;(C) to practice dentistry;(D) to practice optometry;(E) to use any drug or medicine included in materia medica;(F) to use a lithotripter;(G) to use ultrasound on a fetus for either diagnostic or treatment purposes; or(H) to perform a mammography.(5) A duly licensed chiropractor may employ the use of vitamins, food supplements, foods for special dietary use, or proprietary medicines, if the above substances are also included in section 4057 of the Business and Professions Code, so long as such substances are not included in materia medica as defined in section 13 of the Business and Professions Code. The use of such substances by a licensed chiropractor in the treatment of illness or injury must be within the scope of the practice of chiropractic as defined in section 7 of the Act.
(6) Except as specifically provided in section 302(a)(4), a duly licensed chiropractor may make use of X-ray and thermography equipment for the purposes of diagnosis but not for the purposes of treatment. A duly licensed chiropractor may make use of diagnostic ultrasound equipment for the purposes of neuromuscular skeletal diagnosis.(7) A duly licensed chiropractor may only practice or attempt to practice or hold himself or herself out as practicing a system of chiropractic. A duly licensed chiropractor may also advertise the use of the modalities authorized by this section as a part of a course of chiropractic treatment, but is not required to use all of the diagnostic and treatment modalities set forth in this section. A chiropractor may not hold himself or herself out as being licensed as anything other than a chiropractor or as holding any other healing arts license or as practicing physical therapy or use the term "physical therapy" in advertising unless he or she holds another such license.(b) Definitions. (1) Board. The term "board" means the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners.(2) Act. The term "act" means the Chiropractic Initiative Act of California as amended. Note: The Chiropractic Initiative Act of California is listed in West's Annotated California Codes following section 1000 of the Business and Professions Code, and in Deering's California Codes Annotated as an appendix to the Business and Professions Code.
(3) Duly licensed chiropractor. The term "duly licensed chiropractor" means any chiropractor in the State of California holding an unrevoked certificate to practice chiropractic, as that term is defined in section 7 of the Act, that has been issued by the board.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 16, § 302
1. Renumbering of subsection (b) to subsection (c) filed 7-7-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 78, No. 27). For prior history, see Register 65, No. 24.
2. Redesignation of section 318 as subsection 302(b) filed 7-7-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 78, No. 27).
3. Repealer and new section filed 8-4-87; operative 9-3-87 (Register 87, No. 32).
4. Change without regulatory effect of subsection (b)(2) (Register 88, No. 23).
5. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 4-4-91 as an emergency; operative 4-4-91 (Register 91, No. 17). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 8-3-91 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
6. Amendment of subsection (a) with amendments refiled 6-3-91 as an emergency; operative 6-3-91 (Register 91, No. 34). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 10-1-91 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
7. Certificate of Compliance as to 6-3-91 order transmitted to OAL 9-27-91 and filed 10-23-91 (Register 92, No. 24).
8. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a)(5) filed 1-12-2000 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2000, No. 2). Note: Authority cited: Sections 1000- 4(b) and 1000- 10(a), Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 1000- 5 and 1000- 7, Business and Professions Code.
1. Renumbering of subsection (b) to subsection (c) filed 7-7-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 78, No. 27). For prior history, see Register 65, No. 24.
2. Redesignation of section 318 as subsection 302(b) filed 7-7-78; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 78, No. 27).
3. Repealer and new section filed 8-4-87; operative 9-3-87 (Register 87, No. 32).
4. Change without regulatory effect of subsection (b)(2) (Register 88, No. 23).
5. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 4-4-91 as an emergency; operative 4-4-91 (Register 91, No. 17). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 8-3-91 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
6. Amendment of subsection (a) with amendments refiled 6-3-91 as an emergency; operative 6-3-91 (Register 91, No. 34). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 10-1-91 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
7. Certificate of Compliance as to 6-3-91 order transmitted to OAL 9-27-91 and filed 10-23-91 (Register 92, No. 24).
8. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a)(5) filed 1-12-2000 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2000, No. 2).