Are CA and NY acupuncturists evil or stupid?

ChatGPT: Acupuncture lobbies have prevented Physical Therapists from using dry needling.

Difference from acupuncture: Dry needling (by PTs) is generally described as inserting solid filiform needles into trigger points or taut muscle bands to provoke a local twitch response and reduce pain or spasm. 

Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine concepts like meridians. PTs argue it’s a separate technique, but regulators don’t allow it.

EVIL: By preventing PT's from dry needling, acupuncturists in CA and NY prevent residents from accessing a proven therapy:

Dry needling by PTs is designed to “reset” knotted or overactive muscle tissue by causing it to spasm, bleed a little, and then relax. This usually decreases pain and improves mobility — at least temporarily — and can help jumpstart rehab when combined with other therapies.

STUPID: From a patient's perspective, they don’t compete, so how can they profit from eliminating a non-competitor?

• Dry needling is invasive, uncomfortable, and deliberately traumatic to the muscle — the goal is to provoke a twitch, bleeding, and ultimately a release of the knot. 
• Acupuncture is usually gentle, often painless, and oriented toward restoring balance, calming the nervous system, or addressing systemic issues. 
• So functionally, they look different to consumers — one is painful but targeted to fix a muscle problem, the other is soothing and holistic.

The methodology of the Merger Guidelines would likely put PT's and acupuncturists in separate markets.

UPDATE: California, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, and Washington seem to have similar prohibitions