Title 40, Professions and Occupations

(A) The committee may recommend to the board that it revoke, suspend, issue a public or private reprimand, or impose any other reasonable limitation or practice where the unprofessional, unethical, or illegal conduct of the respiratory care practitioner is likely to endanger the …

(A) Licenses issued under this article are subject to annual renewal and expire unless renewed in the manner prescribed by the regulations of the committee. The committee may recommend additional requirements for license renewal which provide evidence of continued competency. The…

The board and the committee shall prescribe fees in amounts recommended by the committee for: (1) initial licensure, not to exceed two hundred dollars; (2) renewal of license fee, not to exceed fifty dollars; (3) late renewal fee, not to exceed double renewal fee. The fees must b…

(A) Upon payment of a fee prescribed by the committee and approved by the board, the board may issue a limited license to practice respiratory care under the direct supervision of a licensed respiratory care practitioner to an applicant who presents written documentation, verifie…

(A) It is unlawful for any person who is not licensed under this article to hold himself out as a respiratory care practitioner, respiratory therapist, or a respiratory therapy technician. A person who holds himself out or practices as a respiratory care practitioner without bein…

A practitioner shall conduct himself or herself in accordance with the applicable codes of ethics adopted by the board in regulation.

This article may be cited as the "Acupuncture Act of South Carolina".

For purposes of this article: (1) "Acupuncture" means a form of health care developed from traditional and modern oriental concepts for health care that employs oriental medical techniques, treatment, and adjunctive therapies for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of hea…

(A) There is established the Acupuncture Advisory Committee to be composed of five members to be appointed by the Board of Medical Examiners for terms of four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Three members must be licensed to practice acupuncture under …

(A) The committee may: (1) recommend regulations to the board relating to professional conduct to carry out the provisions of this article including, but not limited to, professional certification and the establishment of ethical standards of practice for persons holding a licens…

(A) Each applicant for a license to practice acupuncture shall: (1) submit a completed application as prescribed by the board; (2) submit fees as provided for in Section 40-47-800; (3) hold an active certification in acupuncture by the National Commission for the Certification of…

(A)(1) An acupuncturist who is currently approved by the board to practice acupuncture in this State, who has remained in good standing, and who has successfully completed a nationally recognized clean needle technique course approved by the board must receive initial licensure u…

(A) An applicant for a license to perform auricular therapy: (1) must be twenty-one years of age; (2) shall submit a completed application as prescribed by the medical board; (3) shall submit fees as provided for in Section 40-47-800; (4) shall provide evidence of certification a…

(A) An applicant for a license to perform auricular detoxification therapy: (1) must be at least twenty-one years of age; (2) shall submit a completed application as prescribed by the board; (3) shall submit fees as provided for in Section 40-47-800; (4) shall have successfully c…

(A) An auricular therapist or an auricular detoxification specialist who is currently approved by the board to practice in this State, who has remained in good standing, and who has successfully completed a nationally recognized clean needle technique course approved by the board…

(A) It is unlawful for a person not licensed under this article to hold himself out as an acupuncturist, auricular therapist, or auricular detoxification specialist. The titles "Licensed Acupuncturist" (L.Ac.) and "Acupuncturist" may only be used by a person licensed to practice …

Auricular therapy may take place under the supervision of a licensed acupuncturist or a person licensed to practice medicine under this chapter. A treatment by an auricular therapist is strictly limited to inserting needles into the ear. Inserting needles anywhere else on the bod…

Auricular detoxification therapy may take place under the direct supervision of a licensed acupuncturist or a person licensed to practice medicine under this chapter. A treatment by an auricular detoxification specialist is strictly limited to the five ear-point treatment protoco…

This article does not apply to: (1) the practice of acupuncture if it is an integral part of the program of study by students enrolled in an acupuncture education program under the direct clinical supervision of a licensed acupuncturist with at least five years of clinical experi…

Misconduct constituting grounds for revocation, suspension, probation, reprimand, restrictions, or denial of a license must be found when an acupuncturist, auricular therapist, or auricular detoxification specialist: (1) has knowingly allowed himself or herself to be misrepresent…

The board or a person designated by the board may make unscheduled inspections of any office or facility employing an acupuncturist or auricular detoxification specialist.

A person who holds a license issued in accordance with this article and who is engaged in the active practice of acupuncture, or the active practice of auricular therapy or the active practice of auricular detoxification, shall display the license in an appropriate and conspicuou…

(A) An acupuncture license issued under this article must be renewed biennially if the person holding the license: (1) submits a completed license renewal application as prescribed by the board; (2) submits the applicable fees provided for in Section 40-47-800; (3) is not in viol…

Under procedures and conditions established by the board, a license holder may request that his or her license be declared inactive. The licensee may apply for active status at any time and, upon meeting the conditions established by the board in regulation, may be declared activ…

No person licensed under this article may advertise or hold himself or herself out to the public as being authorized to practice medicine under this chapter.

The department shall investigate complaints and violations as provided in Section 40-1-80.

Fees for acupuncturist, auricular therapist, and auricular detoxification specialist licensure must be established and adjusted biennially in accordance with Section 40-1-50(D) to ensure that they are sufficient but not excessive to cover expenses including the total of the direc…

Nothing in this article may be construed to require third party reimbursement directly to an acupuncturist, auricular therapist, or auricular detoxification specialist for services rendered.

In addition to the powers and duties enumerated in Section 40-1-90, the presiding officer of the board may administer oaths when taking testimony upon any and all matters pertaining to the business or duties of the board.

This article may be cited as the "South Carolina Physician Assistants Practice Act".

As used in this article: (1) "Alternate physician supervisor" or "alternate supervising physician" means a South Carolina licensed physician currently possessing an active, unrestricted permanent license to practice medicine in South Carolina who accepts the responsibility to sup…

This article does not apply to a person: (1) who is employed as a PA by the United States Government, where such services are provided solely under the direction or control of the United States Government; (2) pursuing a course of study leading to a degree or certificate to pract…

The Director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation may employ additional staff as necessary for the performance of the department's duties under this article.

(A) There is created the Physician Assistant Committee as an advisory committee to the board which consists of nine members to be appointed by the Board of Medical Examiners. Three of the members must be licensed PAs with a minimum of three years of patient care experience in thi…

(A) The committee shall evaluate the qualifications for licensure and make recommendations to the board. (B) The board may issue subpoenas, examine witnesses, and administer oaths and may investigate allegations of practices violating the provisions of this article. (C) The commi…

(A) PAs may perform: (1) medical acts, tasks, or functions within written scope of practice guidelines under physician supervision; (2) those duties and responsibilities, including the prescribing and dispensing of drugs and medical devices, that are lawfully delegated by their s…

(A) A physician currently possessing an active, unrestricted permanent license to practice medicine under the provisions of this chapter, who accepts the responsibility to supervise a PA's activities, must enter into a supervisory relationship with a PA licensed pursuant to this …

A license application must be submitted to the board on forms supplied by the board. The application must be complete in every detail before licensure may be granted and must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee, provided, however, that a PA may not practice until the supervisin…

Except as otherwise provided in this article, an individual shall obtain a permanent license from the board before the individual may practice as a PA. The board shall grant a permanent license as a PA to an applicant who has: (1) submitted a completed application on forms provid…

(A) The board may issue a limited PA license to an applicant who has: (1) submitted a completed application on forms provided by the board; (2) paid the nonrefundable application fees established by this regulation; (3) successfully completed an educational program for PAs approv…

(A)(1) In addition to other requirements of this article, evidence of successful completion of a one-hour human trafficking awareness and prevention course provided in subsection (B) is a continuing education requirement for the renewal of a physician assistant license. All licen…

(A) The supervising physician is responsible for all aspects of the PA's practice. Supervision must be continuous but must not be construed as necessarily requiring the physical presence of the supervising physician at the time and place where the services are rendered, except as…

(A) A PA practicing at all sites shall practice pursuant to written scope of practice guidelines signed by all supervisory physicians and the PA. Copies of the guidelines must be on file at all practice sites. The guidelines shall include at a minimum the: (1) name, license numbe…

(A) If the written scope of practice guidelines authorizes the PA to prescribe drug therapy: (1) prescriptions for authorized drugs and devices shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws; (2) prescriptions must be limited to drugs and devices authorized by the superv…

A PA may not: (1) perform a medical act, task, or function which has not been listed approved on the scope of practice guidelines; (2) prescribe drugs, medications, or devices not specifically authorized by the supervising physician and documented in the written scope of practice…

The board or a person designated by the board may make unscheduled inspections of any office or facility employing a PA.