The American Alliance for Professional Acupuncture Safety is a multi-state union of associations, acupuncture schools and organizations, and dedicated practitioners of acupuncture.
In this alliance, all the organizations are equal, follow the principle of democracy, cooperation, consultation, and consensus, with voting as needed to finalize our decisions.
Who We Are
The American Alliance for Professional Acupuncture Safety (AAPAS) is a national, nonprofit alliance of professional acupuncture organizations and educational institutions across the United States. Incorporated as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization under the Internal Revenue Code, AAPAS is dedicated to protecting the public’s access to safe, legitimate acupuncture care, advancing the professional standing of licensed acupuncturists, and promoting the responsible integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into American healthcare.
AAPAS represents more than 1,000 licensed acupuncture professionals nationwide through a coalition of ten member organizations spanning multiple states. Our headquarters is located in Clearwater, Florida.
Our History
AAPAS was founded in 2017 when leaders of major Chinese-American acupuncture associations and TCM educational institutions united around a common cause: ensuring that acupuncture in the United States is practiced safely, legally, and by thoroughly trained professionals.
The founding charter — formally adopted by the AAPAS Member Assembly on December 18, 2017, and made effective January 1, 2018 — established the alliance as an organization governed by a Board of Directors, with member organizations and schools each represented through a delegate system. The bylaws enshrined AAPAS’s core commitment to oppose all illegal and unsafe acupuncture practices, to protect the public interest, and to foster academic and professional excellence in the field.
Early Advocacy: Fighting for Patient Safety (2017–2019)
From its very founding year, AAPAS took an active role in the national policy arena. In 2017, AAPAS and its long-time partner, the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA), jointly held a press conference in Congress to promote acupuncture directly to federal legislators. This landmark event marked AAPAS’s entry as a recognized voice in Washington on acupuncture policy.
In 2018, AAPAS collaborated with ASA in meetings with the medical coding committee to successfully influence the definition of dry needling in medical coding standards — ensuring that needles cannot be left in the body, a critical safety distinction that protects patients and upholds professional acupuncture standards.
In 2019, AAPAS mobilized its member organizations to participate in a congressional lobbying event hosted by ASA, contributing both personnel and financial support to advance acupuncture’s recognition in the federal healthcare system.
Championing Medicare Coverage: The HR 4803 Campaign (2021–2023)
One of AAPAS’s most sustained advocacy efforts was its campaign to support H.R. 4803 — The Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act, introduced in the 117th Congress by U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu. This legislation sought to expand acupuncture coverage for Medicare beneficiaries — an essential step toward ensuring that older Americans and those living with disability have access to safe, non-invasive, evidence-based pain management.
AAPAS strongly championed this bill, recognizing that millions of Americans struggle with chronic pain and substance use disorders and deserve non-pharmacological treatment options delivered by state-licensed professionals. AAPAS formally declared its support, educated its member communities, orchestrated grassroots signature and letter campaigns, and coordinated with national organizations including NCCAOM and ASA in a joint Town Hall Meeting (February 9, 2022) to update members on the bill’s progress.
In April 2023, AAPAS’s Department of Public Relations issued a formal letter to all member organizations, calling on Chinese-American acupuncturists to become leaders of the grassroots campaign rather than bystanders, and to work collectively to advance acupuncture’s inclusion in the federal medical system.
Engaging Federal Healthcare Policy (2022)
In November 2022, AAPAS submitted formal comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to its national “Request for Information: Make Your Voice Heard” initiative, advocating for policies that would better recognize acupuncture as a legitimate, cost-effective healthcare service within federal programs.
Defending Professional Standards: Opposition to AB 2497 and Dry Needling Expansion (2025–2026)
As acupuncture’s profile grew, so did the urgency of AAPAS’s patient safety mission. When California’s Assembly Bill 2497 was introduced — a measure that would authorize physical therapists to perform dry needling without the rigorous training required of licensed acupuncturists — AAPAS took a firm and public stand in opposition.
AAPAS issued its Official Position stating that dry needling, under California law, qualifies as acupuncture: it involves FDA-regulated acupuncture needles, body penetration, and stimulation of anatomical points. California currently has over 7,300 licensed acupuncturists, each having completed four-year master’s or doctoral education with a minimum of 2,050 didactic hours and 950 supervised clinical hours. Permitting physical therapists trained in as few as 20–50 hours to perform the same procedures, AAPAS argued, creates a dangerous two-tiered system that puts patients at risk of serious harm — including pneumothorax, nerve injury, and organ puncture — as documented in multiple high-profile incidents.
AAPAS urged California legislators to reject AB 2497 and to preserve the regulatory integrity that protects patient safety.
Expanding Insurance Access: Support for New York S5955B (2026)
In early 2026, AAPAS directed its advocacy toward expanding insurance coverage for acupuncture services. On behalf of its national membership, AAPAS President Bin Cai, Ph.D., L.Ac., RN submitted a formal letter to the New York State Senate Insurance Committee in support of Bill S5955B, which would expand insurance coverage for acupuncture in New York State. AAPAS cited acupuncture’s established role as a safe, evidence-based, and cost-effective treatment for chronic pain, musculoskeletal disorders, and many other conditions, and called for expanding access to reduce reliance on opioids and improve patient outcomes.
Our Member Organizations
AAPAS is a coalition of professional associations and educational institutions. Our current member organizations include:
- AACMA — American Association of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
- ATCMS — American Traditional Chinese Medicine Society
- CAAG — Chinese Association of Acupuncturists Georgia
- CAUS — California Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncturists
- FAA — Florida Acupuncture Association
- FBU — Five Branches University
- MSCM — Massachusetts Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- NFCTCMO — National Federation of Chinese TCM Organization
- NYCTCM — New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- SCAPE — The Society of Chinese American Physician Entrepreneurs
- UANYSLA — United Alliance of New York State Licensed Acupuncturists
Our Mission Statement
The American Alliance for Professional Acupuncture Safety (AAPAS) is organized exclusively under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. Within those purposes, AAPAS is committed to:
Protecting the Public — We oppose all illegal and unsafe acupuncture practice to ensure that every patient receives safe, properly administered Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture treatment.
Defending Professional Standards — We advocate for the rights and legitimate interests of licensed acupuncturists, fighting against scope-of-practice encroachments that endanger patients and undermine professional integrity.
Advancing the Science — We develop and promote academic activities in TCM acupuncture, supporting research, education, and the growth of knowledge in our field.
Educating the Public — We raise public awareness of the health benefits of acupuncture and TCM, empowering patients to make informed decisions and strengthening public trust in properly licensed practitioners.
Shaping Healthcare Policy — We actively engage with federal and state legislators, regulatory agencies, and healthcare policy bodies to advance acupuncture’s recognition as a legitimate, safe, and effective component of American healthcare — for the benefit of all Americans.
