Acupuncture Charter, Berlin 2001
Acupuncture has been practiced in China for over 2000 years, resulting in a wealth of empirical experience. Interest in the technique grew tremendously in the West over the latter half of the 20th Century, and to an even greater degree in the last 10 years.
The growth in medical acupuncture took place as a result of its perceived efficacy in acute and chronic pain, as well as in functional and reversible organic disorders, and addiction and as a result of considerable recent research.
Much high quality evidence now exists to support its clinical use for a wide range of problems based on randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews. Basic scientific research has determined many of the neurophysiological and neuropharmacological mechanisms by which acupuncture works.
Medical acupuncturists make an orthodox diagnosis prior to treatment and only use acupuncture when indicated. Patient safety is of paramount importance.
The full integration and regulation of medical acupuncture has not followed as rapidly as has the growth in public interest and pragmatic use of the technique. Acupuncture education and research has, for the most part, taken place outside the orthodox medical teaching centres, and thus it has often been ignored, or encountered strong resistance.
The development of medical acupuncture has not progressed at the same rate in all countries. The degrees of integration of acupuncture, medical and traditional, within national healthcare provision have differed widely.
The participants of this ICMART symposium and DAGfA / DGfAN jubilee congress in Berlin, 14-17 Jun 2001, strongly commit themselves to the following:
1. Setting up unified international western quality standards of medical acupuncture in education, practice and research according to the principles of orthodox western medicine:
* To optimise the effects of acupuncture and the safety for patients
* Following evidence based medicine (EBM)
* To critically appraise TCM theory as applied to acupuncture
* For application in all appropriate medical specialties
* To integrate acupuncture into modern medicine and health care
* To synthesize two complementary visions of Man
2. Strengthening relationships between national medical acupuncture societies in Europe and throughout the rest of the world.
3. Further collaboration with the World Health Organisation.
4. Extending national co-operation with:
* Universities
* Medical institutions
* Institutions of healthcare
* Health funding organisations
* Other medical organisations of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine
* Patient organisations