What have AAMA members received for their $25 yearly donations to MARF?
The Medical Acupuncture Research Foundation is a nonprofit entity established to advance acupuncture research and education in the USA. Several members, usually 5 to 8 at any one time, have served on its board and given weekends to attend meetings or been involved in conference calls 3 to 4 times each year since 1993. Many hours of follow up work have been freely added on a number of projects. In 1993, a research conference was held in Tempe, Arizona, which included representatives from the clinical acupuncture community, NIH, FDA, and insurance firms. There, a first general discussion of research projects and funding occurred, as well as a discussion on the need to change the experimental designation for acupuncture needles. A yearly commentary and review of acupuncture literature articles was initiated in 1993, continuing into 2000. In 1994 and 1995, a study of the demographics of acupuncture practice in the USA was undertaken under MARF auspices. Small financial grants were begun to
