The philosophy of the BMAS has been to teach acupuncture to medical practitioners, to enable them to use it as a part of their medical practice, from an evidence base of the best of current research. We support the principle that medical students and post graduates are familiarised with acupuncture. The BMAS is currently engaged in formulating an undergraduate course with Oxford University. We have an established training and accreditation programme in acupuncture for post graduate doctors. The members of the BMAS regard themselves primarily as doctors.
Acupuncture is simply one of many techniques they can use for the benefit of patients.
Our society strongly feels that the GMC should remain the single regulatory body for BMAS members practising acupuncture. The GMC is already responsible for regulating the use of all CAM therapies by doctors. As is pointed out in the report, there is no credible evidence for TCM and the GMC is able to discipline a doctor for putting patients at risk by practising a totally unproven therapy, not supported by evidence. We therefore feel that our evidence based approach is best for use in the medical context. Furthermore, given these fundamental philosophical differences in the basis of our diagnoses and treatments, we could not accept that the regulatory body of traditional acupuncturists would be in a position to judge whether or not our members were practising acupuncture well or poorly.