A point on acupuncture

The Government has long been urging complementary therapy organisations to "get their house in order" (THES, July 11). The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board was established in 1990 to accredit institutions offering courses of at least two years' full-time equivalence. Our programme, based upon a professionally agreed core curriculum, has been running successfully since then, and two schools have now completed the rigorous three-year accreditation process. The trend is now for university departments to follow suit.

With the possibility of an Acupuncture Act and the need for graduating students to satisfy the requirements of the acupuncture profession before being granted a licence, it is unlikely they would be able to practise in this country with the title of acupuncturist unless they had gone through the procedures of this board.

Earl Baldwin of Bewsley Chair, The British Acupuncture Accreditation Board, Suite D, Park House, 206-208 Latimer Road, London W10 6RE