Acupuncture Regulation in India

• The text details the establishment and evolution of acupuncture regulation in India

State Acupuncture Councils

• West Bengal was the first state in India to establish a government council for acupuncture in 1996
• The West Bengal council facilitates government registration for acupuncturists, designs dedicated curricula, and has established a training center
• The training center in West Bengal is named after Dr. P.K. Basu, a key figure in promoting acupuncture in India
• Maharashtra established a state-level council for acupuncture in 2017 via legislative action, becoming the second such government council in India
• Initially, the Maharashtra council only registered medical doctors practicing acupuncture
• Non-medically trained acupuncturists protested continuously
• The council created a competency exam and registration process for all, allowing thousands to register and practice

New Structures for Medicine

• The central government decided to replace the British-era system of nationally regulating medicines through councils
• Since 2019, the central government has been dismantling national councils to create new regulatory structures
• The Medical Council of India, which governed allopathic medicine, was replaced with the National Medical Commission in September 2020
• The Medical Council of India's responsibilities such as curriculum development, college accreditation, and doctor registration were transferred to the Medical commission
• Changes were made for homeopathy, Siddha, Ayurveda, and Unani medicine regulation

National Accreditation for Acupuncture

• The Central Council for Homoeopathy was replaced by the National Commission for Homoeopathy in 2020
• In 2020, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine was established as an integrated organization for Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, and Tibetan medicine
• The Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) existed for natural medicine, but its regulatory powers were removed
• In 2023, a Naturopathy Registration Board (NRB) was created to handle registration for naturopathy practitioners
• Unlike other medical systems, there isn't a committee with full regulatory authority formed for natural medicine

Integration within Allied Healthcare

• A commission for allied medicine and related professions was established in 2021
• The National commission for Allied and Healthcare professions manages 54 fields, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, optometry, and lab technology
• Acupuncture was integrated into this structure in 2024
• Following a 2003 government order for acupuncture, continued efforts by Indian acupuncturists led to the formation of an Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) in 2017
• The IDC identified viable new systems of medicine/therapy within the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• The IDC, comprised of 16 members, submitted its final report in June 2018 recommending recognition
• It suggested establishing a national council to follow the examples of West Bengal and Maharashtra
• The central government accepted the report and created the "Apex Committee on Acupuncture" (ACA) in February 2019
• This committee was tasked with reviewing and providing recommendations on acupuncture recognition, education, and registration
• The Acupuncture Apex Committee consisted of nine members

Composition of Committees

• The Acupuncture Apex Committee had government representatives, Dr. Raman Kapur was the sole acupuncturist on the committee
• Sub-committees with acupuncturists were formed for each meeting
• Dr. Muthukumar from Tamil Nadu was on the first sub-committee.
• All prior government acupuncture groups lacked representation from acupuncturists instead allopathic trained medical acupuncturists were present

Apex Committee Recommendations

• The Acupuncture Apex Committee submitted its final 193-page report to the central government in June 2020 including:
• Acupuncture being recognized as an independent practice
• A national-level council be created for acupuncture
• Registration be provided to existing practitioners
• A five-year degree and a three-and-a-half-year diploma program should exist
• "Central Council of Acupuncture" be created under the Ministry of AYUSH

Adoption of Central Framework

• Ignoring the Apex Committee's findings, the central government issued an order in 2024 associating acupuncture with the Committee for Allied Medical Professions
• Established new commission, but discontinued the earlier system of a separate council,
• The Acupuncture Apex Committee's recommendation for a traditional council became a major challenge, due to the WHO classifying this a separate and distinct medical system

National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions

• The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare professions was created in 2021
• In September 2024 acupuncture was integrated through an amendment. The commission recognized 54 medical professions including:
• Medical Laboratory and Life Sciences Professional
• Trauma, Burn Care and Surgical/Anaesthesia related technology
• Physiotherapy Professional
• Nutrition Science Professional
• Ophthalmic Sciences Professional
• Occupational Therapy Professional
• Community Care, Behavioural Health Sciences and other Professionals
• Medical Radiology, Imaging and Therapeutic Technology Professional
• Medical Technologists and Physician Associate
• Health Information Management and Health Informatic Professional
• Acupuncture was included as the fifteenth profession

Concerns with Integration

• Joining NCAHP creates setbacks
• The commission is dominated by allopathic medicine (54 out of 55 fields)
• An independent system is more appropriate
• Without a separate structure, future progress for acupuncture may be limited
• Traditional registration for acupuncturists isn't included in the commission
• Only individuals recommended by the commission can register
• Common registration rules require two years of full-time study which is at odds with the 2003 order banning full-time studies for acupuncture
• Rules are inappropriate for acupuncture.
• Most Indian acupuncture organizations disagree and request a separate commission

Future Action

• Acupuncture has been recognized as a medical practice in 2003 however continues to face change.