With the unprecedented expansion of interest in acupuncture around the world, the need for a standard international nomenclature has become increasingly apparent. Practitioners and researchers everywhere must speak a common language as they attempt to ascertain the clinical benefits of acupuncture and elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms.

This report records the consensus reached by a WHO Scientific Group on a standard international acupuncture nomenclature. Building on the proposals of expert meetings organized by the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific since 1981, the Scientific Group agreed that the standard international nomenclature should comprise an alphanumeric code as well as the Han character names of meridians and acupuncture points, along with their transliterations into the Chinese phonetic alphabet (Pinyin) and their English translations. The experts went on to propose standard nomenclature for the 14 main meridians, the 361 classical acupuncture points, the 8 extra meridians and the 48 extra points, and for scalp acupuncture lines.

The report concludes with recommendations for the standardization of other areas of acupuncture nomenclature and for further action by WHO and its Member States in respect of basic training for the practice of acupuncture, regulation by health authorities, safety and research.

ISBN 92 4 154417 1