Report on the 3rd WHO Informal Consultation on Development of International Standard Acupuncture Points Locations

Objective: To inform of the 4th WHO informal consultation meeting on the development of international standard acupuncture points locations, held in Daejeon, Korea, on April , 2005. Results and Conclusions: 12 experts from Korea, China and Japan discussed the locations of 18 controversial points that were not agreed at the previous meeting, and 16 non-controversial points that all 3 nations agreed on the locations but still needed more discussion for their expressions, as well as other non-controversial points that were agreed on both the locations and the expressions but were suggested by Chinese party to be discussed again. Also, the guidelines for English translation of the standard acupuncture points locations and the development of the standard acupuncture points charts, diagrams, and dolls were discussed in this meeting. Through this meeting the locations of ST30, SP11, SP12, TE18, GB9, GB10, LR4, LR5, LR6, BL6, BL7, BL9, GB19 were agreed, but it was suggested that more research would be needed for the locations of LI20, GV26, PC8, PC9, LR7, GB30, LR12, and the expressions of ST36, ST38, ST39, BL1. Due to the time limitation, 16 acupuncture points out of those Chinese party suggested to have more discussion about were not discussed at this meeting and remained to be discussed at the next meeting.