Release Ceremony of the 2026 International Standards for Acupuncture-Moxibustion

On October 18, 2026, the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) held the release ceremony for its 2026 international standards for acupuncture-moxibustion during the Innovation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Non-Pharmaceutical Therapies Forum, a parallel forum of the World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026. A new set of international standards for acupuncture-moxibustion was officially released at the ceremony, which was moderated by Yang Yuyang, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of WFAS.

During the standards release session, Liu Baoyan, Academic Committee Member of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and President of WFAS, and Zhao Hong, Director of the Standardization Working Committee of WFAS, led the release of nine international standards for acupuncture-moxibustion. Fifteen international experts from China, Iran, Germany, Thailand, Brazil and other countries jointly witnessed the release. This occasion marked another important achievement in global acupuncture-moxibustion standardization, providing authoritative technical guidance for clinical practice, academic exchanges and international promotion.

The newly released standards include one technical operation standard, Technical Benchmark of Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Acupoint Application; six clinical practice guidelines, Clinical Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Cancer Treatment-Related Side Effects: Postoperative Pain, Clinical Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Cancer Treatment-Related Side Effects: Xerostomia, Clinical Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Chemoradiotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Clinical Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Cancer Treatment-Related Side Effects: Dyspnea, Clinical Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Cancer and Treatment-Related Side Effects: Anxiety and Depression, and Clinical Guideline on Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Breast Cancer Surgery-Induced Upper Lymphedema; one standard for acupuncture-moxibustion education, Standards of Operational Technical Assessment for Filiform Needle Acupuncture; and one terminology standard, Terminology of Acupuncture and Moxibustion — Periocular Acupuncture.

During the ceremony, an official interpretation and practical demonstration video for the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Acupuncture-Moxibustion — Migraine was presented. Through visual demonstrations, the video illustrated the key recommendations of the guideline, helping acupuncture practitioners worldwide better understand and apply them in clinical practice. WFAS will continue to develop additional standard documents and accompanying interpretation videos for global sharing.

The event also drew inspiration from the historical legacy of Wang Weiyi of the Northern Song Dynasty, who, by imperial decree of Emperor Renzong of Song, oversaw the casting of the Tiansheng Bronze Acupuncture Figures, among the earliest physical embodiments of acupuncture standardization. To honor this tradition, customized USB drives designed in the shape of bronze acupuncture figures were presented to Chinese and international experts involved in developing the standards. Combining cultural significance, academic value and collectible appeal, these commemorative gifts expressed appreciation for the experts' dedicated contributions to acupuncture standardization and underscored the call for collective efforts to promote the practical adoption of international acupuncture standards.

Standards lay the foundation for a thriving profession, while effective interpretation enables their wider application. As acupuncture reaches the world, standardization must lead the way. WFAS will continue to develop high-quality international standards for acupuncture-moxibustion that respond to global needs and facilitate practical implementation, advancing the standardized development of acupuncture-moxibustion worldwide.