Today the Ministry of Health announced that Chinese Medicine is to be included under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (2003).

“This is a welcome decision” says Robin Kerr, President of Acupuncture New Zealand (AcNZ). “Inclusion under the Act will provide greater assurance of safety and competence for the public of New Zealand. It will support patient centred practice through stronger collaboration with GPs and other health providers as recommended by the Health and Safety Review 2020”.

The decision brings the more than 1200 practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese medicine into line with other Allied Health professionals in New Zealand and with our colleagues in Australia. Acupuncture NZ has been a member of Allied Health Aotearoa NZ (AHANZ) since 2008. Chinese medicine became a registered profession in Australia in 2012.

Acupuncture is widely accepted as being of value in the treatment of musculo-skeletal injuries, having been covered by ACC since 1990. In recent weeks the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK included acupuncture as a recommended treatment for the treatment of chronic pain.

Increasingly, both here in New Zealand and overseas, it is playing an important role in the treatment of a wide range of conditions, both in private clinics and within the hospital setting. Many oncology units in American hospitals now include an acupuncturist on their staff as it is invaluable in reducing side effects which may be experienced from radiology or chemotherapy. Acupuncture has repeatedly been demonstrated to improve quality of life outcomes for many conditions.

In recent years, more robust scientific studies completed by universities and hospitals have shown quite unequivocally that Chinese medicine has an important role to play in health care. In February this year there were close to 15,000 studies on acupuncture listed on the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

Recognition of Chinese Medicine comes at a time when the health care system in New Zealand is undergoing major changes as a result of the Health and Disabilities Service review 2020. There is already growing public and professional recognition of the wide range of health benefits of Chinese medicine. With a history of many thousands of years and backed by recent and robust science, Chinese Medicine and acupuncture practitioners are now set to become recognised, regulated health professionals.

The new Responsible Authority (RA) will be known as the Chinese Medicine Council of New Zealand.

Condolences

We were deeply shocked and saddened to hear that our long-time friend Dr. Arne Morten Kausland, Vice President of WFAS from Norway, passed away on 1st April, 2021. Please accept our sincere condolences and sympathy.

Dr. Kausland had been working with WFAS for more than 20 years and had made important contributions to our work in many aspects by being Member of the 5th Executive Committee, Vice President of the 6th, 7th, 8th  and 9th  Executive Committees, Deputy Director of Standardization Working  Committee,  Deputy  Director  of  Legalization  Working  Committee,  and  Member  of International Proficiency (Qualification) Exam Committee – he had been closely involved with all key issues in the progress of WFAS.

An expert to ISO/TC249 representing Norway, he devoted himself in promoting standardized, high- quality practice of acupuncture; a doctor for more than 30 years, he was an unswerving believer in acupuncture and seized every advocacy opportunity; a man of compassion and refined manner, he spared no effort in sharing his enormous knowledge or lending a helping hand whenever needed. Thanks to him, WFAS established cooperative connections with universities and institutions of Norway. We still remember the kind words bearing his greatest empathy to the people severely affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

To our sadness, it is time to say goodbye. We will continue our efforts to fulfill his will, letting acupuncture benefit all people’s health and welfare.

Dr. Kausland will be forever loved and remembered. May he rest in peace. 

Yours sincerely,

President Liu Baoyan and the Secretariat

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies April 10th, 2021

Dear Member Societies of WFAS,

Dear colleagues and friends,

It is with our deepest grief but we have to inform that Dr. Arne Morten Kausland, Vice President of WFAS from Norway,former president of Norwegian Acupuncture Association passed away on 1st April, 2021. 

Dr. Kausland had been working with WFAS for more than 20 years and had made important contributions to our work in many aspects by being Member of the 5th Executive Committee, Vice President of the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Executive Committees, Deputy Director of Standardization Working Committee, Deputy Director of Legalization Working Committee, and Member of International Proficiency (Qualification) Exam Committee – he had been closely involved with all key issues in the progress of WFAS.

An expert to ISO/TC249 representing Norway, he devoted himself in promoting standardized, high-quality practice of acupuncture; a doctor for more than 30 years, he was an unswerving believer in acupuncture and seized every advocacy opportunity; a man of compassion and refined manner, he spared no effort in sharing his enormous knowledge or lending a helping hand whenever needed. Thanks to him, WFAS established cooperative connections with universities and institutions of Norway. We still remember the kind words bearing his greatest empathy to the people severely affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

To our sadness, it is time to say goodbye. His funeral will be online at 1 PM (CET) on April 12, 2021 at: 

https://svanholm.vareminnesider.no/memorial_page/streaming_of_ceremony.php?order_id=3843584&set_site_id=242&cat=streaming_of_ceremony&sign=e5a7e520300f677981aaa96e831bcf6d

For those colleagues and friends who would like to send condolences or flowers, please go to: 

https://svanholm.vareminnesider.no/flower_shop/choose_delivery_type.php?order_id=3843584&set_site_id=242&memorial_page_created=1&action=buy_products&cat=flowers&hide_wizard=true&sign=bd60e1f45abe6ed0e16bf67ac81ada71

Dr. Kausland will be forever loved and remembered. May he rest in peace.

President Liu Baoyan and the Secretariat

World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies

April 10th, 2021