The Mission of the Symposium

In many European countries, acupuncture is among the most common Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies. It is increasingly being practised to treat a number of diseases in conventional public and privatehealthcare systems, and sometimes it is refunded by the public healthcare institutions. This is the result of a rigorously designed evaluation of the scientific literature which has proved both effectiveness and safety of acupuncture.
However, though randomized controlled clinical trials for acupuncture treatment are numerically and qualitatively high, there are methodological issues that need to be addressed for pursuing research activities to acquire additional evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture, as well as on the advantages of its integration into healthcare systems.

In this context, the Association of Medical Acupuncturists of Bologna (A.M.A.B.) and the Society for Acupuncture Research (SAR) are organising the Second International Symposium on Research in Acupuncture, to be held on October 20th and 21st, 2018 in Bologna, Italy, at the Savoia Regency Hotel.

The purpose of the Symposium is to bring together many of the most recognized international authorities in the field of clinical and basic acupuncture research, with the final aim of providing updates and practical and authoritative insight into the most controversial aspects and issues concerning acupuncture research and its integration within healthcare systems.

The programme of the Symposium features plenary sessions and panel discussions with active participation of the audience and focuses on the following topics designed to appeal to a wide range of congress participants:

1. Mechanisms of Action and Current Trends in Acupuncture Research

2. Research Methodology and EBM in Acupuncture. The Placebo Issue

3. From Acupuncture Research to Clinical Practice

4. Integration of Acupuncture into Healthcare Systems: Regulatory and Cost-Effectiveness Aspects

The request for CME credits is being processed.

Anyone who is engaged in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, including working in education, research, clinical applications, health system, as well as other professional experts and scholars, can participate.