PRESS RELEASE: September is Acupuncture Awareness Month as AACMA challenges Australia’s biggest misconceptions (local interviews offered)

New annual campaign will reveal what Australians commonly get wrong about acupuncture and the registered health practitioners behind it.

AUSTRALIA: The Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd (AACMA), Australia’s largest professional association representing registered acupuncturists and Chinese herbal medicine practitioners, has announced the launch of Acupuncture Awareness Month, a new annual public education campaign beginning this September.
The inaugural campaign will focus on five things about acupuncture most people get wrong addressing misconceptions that acupuncture is not real medicine, is simply about needles, is only used for pain, does not involve extensive education, clinical training and national registration or sits outside modern healthcare.
AACMA CEO Paul Stadhams said the campaign was created to address the gap between public perceptions of acupuncture and the professional reality of its practice in Australia.
“Acupuncture is sometimes dismissed as an alternative wellness treatment, but Chinese medicine has been a nationally regulated health profession in Australia since 2012,” Mr Stadhams said. “Registered acupuncturists must be registered under the national scheme administered by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), meet the education and registration standards set by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia and undertake continuing professional development throughout their careers. Many Australians are still unaware of these requirements.”
The campaign will launch with a hero social video introducing the five misconceptions. Each topic will then be explored throughout September through social content, informative articles, practitioner insights and educational resources.
Through the campaign platform “Works alongside modern healthcare”, AACMA will highlight how acupuncture may form part of an integrated approach to care alongside a person’s GP and broader healthcare team, where clinically appropriate.
AACMA members will receive campaign materials to share across their social media channels, websites and clinics, extending the national campaign into local communities across Australia.
“By starting with the things people commonly get wrong, we can open the door to a broader conversation about what acupuncture is, how it is practised and how to find a suitably qualified and registered practitioner,” Mr Stadhams said.
Acupuncture Awareness Month will become an annual AACMA initiative, with a new public education focus introduced each year.
The campaign was conceived and developed by AACMA’s retained agency, Missy Mischief PR & Creative, under the creative direction of Creative Director Wade Kuhn.
More information, including a directory of qualified and registered practitioners, is available at www.acupuncture.org.au

For media enquiries or interview requests, please contact Amanda Kuhn on 0410 570 993 or [email protected]

Acupuncture Awareness Month begins on 1 September 2026, with campaign content appearing across the AACMA website, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, as well as through participating AACMA members and clinics across Australia.

A media backgrounder follows this release, providing further campaign information, answers to common questions and details of AACMA spokespeople available for interview.
 

MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
ACUPUNCTURE AWARENESS MONTH 2026

What is Acupuncture Awareness Month?

Acupuncture Awareness Month is a new annual public education campaign created by the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Ltd (AACMA). Launching in September 2026, the campaign aims to improve public understanding of acupuncture, address common misconceptions and help Australians make informed decisions when looking for a suitably qualified and registered practitioner.

Why has AACMA launched the campaign?

While acupuncture is widely recognised, there is still significant misunderstanding about how it is practised, the qualifications required to become a registered acupuncturist and how acupuncture may work alongside other forms of healthcare. The campaign gives AACMA and its members a coordinated national platform through which they can share clear, accurate and consistent information.

What are the five misconceptions being addressed?

The inaugural campaign will address common beliefs that:

1. Acupuncture is not real medicine.
2. Acupuncture is simply about needles.
3. Acupuncture is only used for pain.
4. Acupuncture is the same as dry needling.
5. Acupuncture sits outside modern healthcare.

Is acupuncture a regulated health profession in Australia?

Yes. Chinese medicine has been regulated nationally under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme since 2012. Practitioners must be registered with the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia and meet the Board’s standards for education, professional conduct and continuing professional development. Only practitioners registered in the acupuncture division of the Chinese medicine profession may use the protected title “acupuncturist.”

Is acupuncture the same as dry needling?

No. While both practices may involve the use of fine needles, acupuncture and dry needling are not the same. Acupuncture is practised within the nationally regulated Chinese medicine profession. Registered acupuncturists must meet the education and registration standards established by the Chinese Medicine Board of Australia.

Is acupuncture only used for pain?

Pain management is one of the most commonly recognised reasons people seek acupuncture, but it is not the only area in which registered practitioners may provide care. Acupuncturists work with patients seeking support across a range of health concerns. Any information about acupuncture must be accurate, evidence based and appropriate to the individual circumstances of the patient.

How does acupuncture work alongside modern healthcare?

The campaign does not position acupuncture as a replacement for care from a GP or other healthcare professional. Acupuncture may form part of an integrated approach to care alongside a person’s GP and broader healthcare team, where clinically appropriate.

How will the campaign be delivered?

Acupuncture Awareness Month will launch with a hero social video introducing the five misconceptions, followed by dedicated social content, informative articles, practitioner insights and educational resources throughout September. AACMA members will also receive campaign materials to share through their social media channels, websites and clinics.

Where can people see the campaign?

Acupuncture Awareness Month will run across the AACMA website and its social media channels throughout September 2026:
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
Campaign content and educational resources will also be shared by AACMA members through their clinic websites, social media channels and practices across Australia. More information, including AACMA’s directory of qualified and registered practitioners, will be available at www.acupuncture.org.au.

Will Acupuncture Awareness Month return?

Yes. AACMA intends Acupuncture Awareness Month to become an annual public education initiative, with a new campaign focus introduced each year.

SPOKESPEOPLE AVAILABLE

AACMA CEO Paul Stadhams and members of the AACMA Board are available for interviews about Acupuncture Awareness Month, the regulation and practice of acupuncture in Australia and the future of the profession.

• Paul Stadhams, AACMA CEO | Greater Brisbane, Queensland
Paul has led AACMA since 2017 and brings more than 25 years of management experience across several Australian industries.
• Rodd Sanchez, AACMA Chair | Sydney, New South Wales
Rodd is a registered Chinese medicine practitioner, clinical supervisor and educator with more than 22 years of clinical experience in Australia.
• Kim Gatenby, AACMA Deputy Chair | Port Macquarie and Wauchope, New South Wales
Kim is a registered Chinese medicine practitioner with experience in reproductive medicine and clinical practice across metropolitan and regional Australia.
• Rosemary “Rose” Pinter, AACMA Director | Mundaring, Western Australia
Rose has practised acupuncture and Chinese medicine since 1985 and brings extensive experience in clinical practice, governance and professional advocacy.
• Lori-Ellen Grant, AACMA Director | Willunga, South Australia
Lori-Ellen is a Chinese medicine clinician, researcher and educator with more than 20 years of experience across Australia and New Zealand.
• Bryony O’Callaghan, AACMA Director | Adelaide, South Australia
Bryony is an acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner with qualifications in acupuncture and accounting and a strong interest in governance and organisational performance.

Suggested interview topics.

• Why acupuncture is commonly misunderstood.
• Acupuncture education and registration in Australia.
• The difference between acupuncture and dry needling.
• How acupuncture may work alongside modern healthcare.
• Acupuncture practice in metropolitan and regional communities.
• Research, education and the future of the profession.
• The purpose and future of Acupuncture Awareness Month.

MEDIA CONTACT
For interviews, further information, or campaign assets, please contact:
Amanda Kuhn
Public Relations Director
Missy Mischief PR & Creative
0410 570 993
[email protected]
www.missymischief.com.au