Italian Association of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Name: Italian Association of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and TCM (AIAM)
Registration Country: Italy
Time for Foundation: 1987
Current President: Aldo Liguori M.D.
Introduction:

Founded in 1987 by “Paracelso” Institute, AIAM works in harness with it and accomplishes projects aimed towards promoting the development of acupuncture, in co-operation with national scientific, academic and governmental bodies or institutions (university institutes, the Italian Medical Register, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Higher Institute of Health) and with supranational ones (Council of Europe, WHO).

AIAM is involved in 5 main fields of activity:


1. Scientific research: a) researches on the topic “acupuncture and pain” for the Italian Ministry of Health (1993-97); b) research program on “Acupuncture and Immunity” with the Chair of Immunology of “La Sapienza” University, Rome; c) agreement with the Italian Higher Institute of Health for the project “Non Conventional Medicines”, research line in acupuncture (2000-2004); d) research on obesity with the Catholic “Sacro Cuore” University, Rome; e) actuation and co-ordination of the “Interuniversity Committee for Acupuncture Research” (since 1991, still in progress) with which AIAM has been dealing the topic of research methodology in acupuncture; f) indexed publications.


2. Education: courses run in agreement with institutional bodies: i) Post-graduate Master in Acupuncture and TCM at the First School of Medicine of Sapienza University, Rome (since 1997, still in progress); ii) Four-year Acupuncture Course for medical doctors with the “S. Giovanni-Addolorata Hospital Complex” in Rome (since 1997, still in progress) and with the Local Health Unit “ASL Lecce 2”in Lecce (since 1998, still in progress); iii) Training Courses in Academic Centres in China (since 1987, still in progress). In this last activity, AIAM fulfilled conventions with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as it was included in the Executive Protocol on S&T Co-operation between the Italian Republic and the People’s Republic of China, since 1994 to 2000.


3. Clinical activity: AIAM promotes and co-ordinates acupuncture clinical activity both c/o public facilities (the General Hospital of Sapienza University, Rome and the “Campus Biomedico” University, Rome) and c/o private structures.


4. Academic activity: AIAM organises yearly Acupuncture National Conferences in co-operation with Sapienza University, Rome and organised two WFAS International Symposiums on the topic “Research Methodology in Acupuncture”.


5. Scientific production: AIAM accomplishes a scientific production with its own publications both at monographic and periodical level, such as: the Italian quarterly journal “Orientamenti MTC (TCM Trends)” and the Italian edition of the “World Journal of Acupuncture-moxibustion”.