Frequently Asked Questions, Legal, Members Only, Scope of Practice, zall

Blood Draws

By Adrienne Hersh, JD, ICS Legal Counsel · May 1, 20121 min read

Summarize this article with Paxson

Yes. According to an established history of legal authority, chiropractic physicians may draw blood in this State.

The Illinois Medical Practice Act provides full physician status to doctors of chiropractic, including the authority to diagnose and treat the full range of human ailments and conditions, so long as it is without the use of drugs or operative surgery. The Attorney General issued an opinion in 1963 specifically affirming the right of chiropractic physicians to perform blood testing. The Attorney General stated that individuals possessing a license to treat human ailments without drugs and surgery under the Medical Practice Act (chiropractic physicians) are permitted to take blood for diagnostic purposes and that Public Health laboratories are required to provide analysis of specimens submitted by chiropractic physicians. This opinion still stands.

Members-Only Article

Keep reading with an ICS membership

This in-depth guidance is reserved for ICS members. Join the Illinois Chiropractic Society for full access to every article, CEU, compliance tool, and advocacy update.

Join the ICS →

About the Author

Adrienne Hersh, JD, ICS Legal Counsel

Adrienne serves as Illinois Chiropractic Society general counsel and provides legal advice and support on a wide range of legal issues affecting chiropractic physicians, including licensing and other health care regulations, scope of practice, insurance and reimbursement, business structuring, labor and employment, contracts, and litigation. Adrienne previously served for 8 years as general counsel to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation (now the Division of Professional Regulation, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation), where she was chief legal counsel responsible for overseeing all legal issues and advising the 50+ licensing and disciplinary boards, including the Medical Disciplinary Board and the Medical Licensing Board. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association Health Care Section, the Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys, and the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys.