WORLD JOURNAL OF ACUPUNCTURE-MOXIBUSTION

Vol.10 No.3,  September, 2000

News

The Development And Role Of WFAS In The World Acupuncture Activities 

Fan Lingling(范玲玲), Ma Ying(麻颖), Secretariat of WFAS, Beijing 100700, China         

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS), established in China in 1987, is the first non-governmental international academic union with its  headquarters in Beijing, and also the international non-governmental organization admitted into official relations with World Health Organization (WHO). WFAS as worldwide acupuncture organization has played an active role in the development of world traditional medicine since the birth.   

1.  The Establishment and Development of WFAS     
1.1  The establishment of WFAS: In 1972, the research result on the mechanism of acupuncture anesthesia and acupuncture analgesia was announced by China, which evoked repercussions in the world and led to an upsurge in learning and studying acupuncture internationally. In June, 1979, WHO held a acupuncture forum in Beijing, preliminarily confirming that 43 kinds of diseases could be treated with  acupuncture. In December 1982, at the Working Meeting on Nomenclature of Acupuncture Points held in Manila by WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, a number of scholars from different countries brought forward establishing a world federation of acupuncture-moxibustion societies. In June 1984, the motion by Chinese acupuncture scholars was adopted at the Kyoto preparatory meeting. China Association of Acupuncture and Moxibustion would invite scholars from some main countries in acupuncture and moxibustion to form a preparatory committee by taking  opportunity of holding the Second National Symposium on Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Acupuncture Anesthesia in China. In August 1984, the Preparatory Committee of WFAS was set up in Beijing, which comprised 30 members from 15 countries including Australia, China, France, Japan and so on. After that, the Preparatory Committee of WFAS was engaged in preparatory work, such as drawing up Constitution (draft) and discussing WFAS inaugural meeting at meetings held respectively in Hong Kong in July 1985, in Tokyo in April 1986, in Beijing in August 1987. WHO 's Traditional Medicine official and officials from WHO Regional Office for Western Pacific attended the meetings, putting forward important amending suggestion s for the Constitution. With the support of WHO and Chinese Government, WFAS was officially established in Beijing on November 22, 1987. 

1.2  The Development of WFAS: For 12 years after the establishment, WFAS has devoted itself to promoting understanding and cooperation among acupuncture-moxibustion groups throughout the world, strengthening international academic exchanges and developing the science of acupuncture-moxibustion. At the same time, WFAS  has greatly developed itself. First of all, the total number of member societies is on the increase. When it was established in 1987, there were 59 member societies with 37800 individual members from 28 countries and regions. Now, it consists of 75 member societies with 70400 individual members from 43 countries and regions. Secondly, the organizational structure is further strengthened. From 1992 to 1997, WFAS set up the following 6 sub-committees: Education Working Committee, Legislation Working Committee, Qualification Examination Working Committee,  Academic Working Committee, Financial Supervision Working Committee and Code of  Ethics Working Committee. Each working committee as WFAS Executive Committee's advisory body is responsible for a special work. In addition, WFAS International  Acupuncture Proficiency Examination Committee was set up to carry out acupuncture professional proficiency examination internationally. Thirdly, a non-governmental official relation was established between WFAS and WHO. In March 1996, under the guidance of WHO, WFAS submitted its application for official relations with WHO to WHO Headquarters. On January 27, the WHO Executive Board decided to establish official relations with WFAS at its 101st session.    

2. The Role of WFAS in the World Acupuncture Activities     
2.1 WFAS has played an important role in the disseminating, popularizing and promoting academic exchange on acupuncture-moxibustion. After the establishment of WFAS, it held general assembly in conjunction with world conference on acupuncture once every three years and international acupuncture symposium on special  theme once every year during interval between the world conferences on acupuncture. Up to now, Five world conferences on acupuncture and eight international acupuncture symposium have been convened, of which five conferences and symposiums were cosponsored by WFAS and WHO. Whenever conference or symposium was held in different countries, senior government officials of the host country attended the opening ceremony and delivered speech. Their attendance is conductive to recognizing  the role of acupuncture in health care by government, establishing regulatory measures of acupuncture, promoting the legislation of acupuncture, even bringing  positive influence in the countries or regions where acupuncture has not yet been legislated or legitimated. Such kind of academic exchange not only enhances the acupuncture academic level of participants, but also enable more and more people to understand, accept and apply acupuncture.   

2.2 WFAS has played a positive role in the acupuncture education and legislation. In cooperation with WHO and governments of member societies and the education institutions through the member societies, WFAS takes an active part in acupuncture education and legislation in the world and gives priority to enhancing quality of acupuncturists and striving for the legislation of acupuncture. The WFAS Education Working Committee and the Legislation Working Committee conducted survey on the situation of acupuncture education and legislation in the world. Some experts of WFAS took part in drafting and formulating WHO's booklets entitled  “A Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature" and “Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture". Both booklets have been distributed to the member societies of WFAS, the acupuncture research institutes and the editorial offices concerned. In addition, WFAS urges member societies to strive for acupuncture legislation in their respective countries in response to WHO's policy of strengthening national regulatory capacity in acupuncture training, practice and registration. With member's effort in Australia, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology offers a six year Chinese medicine program including acupuncture. Mexican  member societies have introduced acupuncture course into University of Gudalajara and National Institute of polytechnic. Belgian member society took part in preparing European Legislation of Complementary Medicine including acupuncture in the European Parliament. Italian member society offered acupuncture lecture at “ La Sapienza" University in Rome. A lot of member societies keep close connection with governmental departments concerned and act as consultative bodies by putting forward suggestions on traditional medicine as well as acupuncture training, acupuncture legislation and safe acupuncture treatment. They are playing active role in trying to incorporate acupuncture into health service system.    

3.  WFAS Should Make Contributions to the World Health Care     WFAS, as only one acupuncture organization of nearly two hundred non-govern mental organizations in official relations with WHO, should do more under favorable condition of WHO's support and recognition. WFAS assisted WHO to formulate so me documents such as “A Standard International Acupuncture Nomenclature" and “ Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture". In order to promote the process of modernization of traditional medicine, WFAS should fully utilize its  rich resource of the qualified acupuncture professionals, organize experts to conduct survey and research on special subject and formulate a series of the standardization documents on traditional medicine, especially acupuncture research,  training and test. Those documents should get approval from the executive committee and member societies, and seek WHO's confirmation. Formulation of standardization documents will enable the member societies to provide reference materials to their governments for working out national regulations on acupuncture training, clinical treatment and registration. It is beneficial to promoting the legislation of acupuncture and international standardization of acupuncture research,  training and treatment, thereby, integrating traditional medicine into the main  trend of modern medicine. It can be believed that with the development of science and change of medical model, traditional medicine will attract more attention.  Traditional medicine, especially acupuncture will become a component of the health care system in various countries. WFAS should make contributions to the work of world health care.

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