Confidence building measures for the co-existence of classical medicine and acupuncture

The physicians who apply acupuncture in what are called the Western countries, where classical medicine is dominating, have succeeded in obtaining positive healing results in high percentages of a large number of diseases and symptoms which usually are not dealt with by the means of classical medicine.

This fact has created a feeling of confidence, esteem and recognition of what acupuncture has to offer as well to the patients of the Western societies. Statistical studies made in America and in Europe show that the number of patients who seek the help of therapy by acupuncture is already large and is steadily growing.

And whereas the curative possibilities of acupuncture are by now accepted not only by many patients but also by many physicians of various specialties of classical medicine,

And whereas the mechanism of the action of acupuncture is interpreted nowadays with the help of modern medical knowledge so that its scientific existence is substantiated,

And whereas in many universities of the Western world acupuncture is taught at the Faculties of Medicine and is applied in state hospital s, in some countries prevail, unfortunately a strong contestation and reaction expressed in disparaging terms and defaming. That means that there is a war, sometimes hidden, sometimes overt, on the side of various levels that support the structure, the functioning and the application of classical medicine, but also on the side of the agents connected with it, against acupuncture.

This fact, which is very unpleasant but is also escalating dangerously, need, in my opinion, to be dealt with as a matter of prime importance, with great attention and seriousness.

It must be made clear to everybody that in medicine there is no place for dogmatism and arrogance but only for help to the suffering human being, always guided by the saying of Hippocrates: .

In this paper I propose and analyze certain precise measures for the building of confidence between classical medicine and acupuncture, with the objective of their harmonious co-existence in the health systems of the various countries for the benefit of the patients and medical science.

A basic primary and firm position is that acupuncture must be exercised only by physicians.

Abstracts of ICMART '97 International Medical Acupuncture Symposium