Lok Sabha Question No. 883 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-29
Subject: Recognition of Acupuncture
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri K Gopinath

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH RESEARCH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 883 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 th NOVEMBER, 2024

## RECOGNITION OF ACUPUNCTURE

## 883. SHRI K. GOPINATH:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any action has been taken by the Government to recognize acupuncture as a system of health therapy and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has constituted any Apex Committee for the purpose and promotion of acupuncture in the country, if so, the details thereof along with the recommendations and guidelines by the apex committee;
- (c) the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government on the recommendation and guidelines of the Apex Committee;
- (d) whether the Government is considering to constitute any national level council for acupuncture and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has held any discussion with Ministry of Ayush to include acupuncture under AYUSH, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor ?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (e) : Based on the recommendations of the Standing Committee of Experts, practice of Acupuncture was qualified as a 'mode of therapy'. Thereafter, an Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC), constituted by the Department of Health Research, has recommended in 2018 that Acupuncture can be accepted as an independent system of healthcare for the indications for which there is evidence and expertise exists for teaching, training and certification.

After consideration of IDC report, 'Apex Committee on Acupuncture' (ACA) was constituted for the purpose of promotion and regulation of Acupuncture as a system of healthcare / therapy. The recommendations and the guidelines of the ACA included proposed course curricula for certificate, degree and diploma courses in acupuncture; proposed template for rules and regulations for regulating the system, and suggestions for reimbursement for acupuncture treatment. The Committee had further recommended that in order to implement the guidelines, the Government of India might take appropriate decision about establishing an appropriate regulatory mechanism so as to ensure a conducive environment and system for promotion and regulation of practice of acupuncture as a system of healthcare and therapy in the country.

The recommendations of Apex Committee on Acupuncture for establishing an appropriate regulatory mechanism were actively considered and a comprehensive consultation, involving multiple Departments, including Ministry of AYUSH, was completed. The matter of establishment of an appropriate regulatory mechanism on Acupuncture system and to bring the regulation of acupuncture professionals under the ambit of the ' National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021' has been completed with the publication of a notification on 26.09.2024 by Department of Health and Family Welfare to include the Acupuncture Professionals (ISCO Code : 2230, 3230) in the Schedule of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021.

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