Acupuncture, chiropractic medicine, and massage. These healing arts clinics promote health and your well-being but are they all practicing legally and safely? 

That’s a concern arising from a recent Guam board of Allied Health examiners board meeting. 

Allied Health Board Chair Mamie Balajadia said, “Guam is the perfect place for people from foreign countries to come to establish a business. So we need to be more cognizant of people practicing chiropractic, physical therapy and acupuncture or whatever out there without a proper licensing, because our role here is to protect the public.” 

One complaint under investigation has faced a roadblock for months, the massage therapy clinic Le Balance in Tamuning accused of allegedly providing chiropractic services without a license. 

The clinic's Facebook page said it specializes in corrective muscle therapy.  

“It’s an aggravating issue of people coming to Guam to practice and just put up shop anytime they want to. So we need to just nip this in the bud,” said Balajadia. 

But regulating clinics Le Balance isn’t easy without legal help. 

Balajadia added, “Well, the problem is as you know the Government of Guam procuring even a piece of paper has been a problem as you know.” 

Former Assistant Attorney General Daniel Morris even announced to the board he will no longer be their legal counsel. 

“I’m leaving the AG’s office effective at the end of business today,” he said. 

AG Doug Moylan told KUAM Morris took an offer from the Governor’s office but before Morris left, he told the board the AG’s office doesn’t have the resources.

He said, “The AG’s office provides legal services to the board, but the AG’s office will not prosecute actions against unauthorized practitioners for the board.” 

KUAM reached out to Moylan for comment.

Moylan said this is inaccurate and will be looking into it.

Meantime, Health Professional Licensing Office Administrator Zennia Pecina suggested the board procure an outside attorney. 

“Because we don’t have consistency in the AG's office right now in regards to attorneys, I think this case should really move forward and let’s just get an outside attorney to start looking at this so we can procure them to move with this case,” said Pecina.