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interventions. Most of these people were in the 25-to-49 age group, were significantly more likely to be Caucasian than any other racial group, were significantly more likely to have a college education, and to have an income of $35,000 or more per annum. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that 12 million Americans visit acupuncturists annually. The National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) has certified 10,000 acupuncturists to date. The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA) estimates that there are currently more than 3,000 physicians practicing acupuncture in the United States. More and more MDs are beginning to recommend acupuncture to their patients. The most recent gathering of the Department of Continuing Education at Harvard Medical School included 750 MDs who were interested in learning more about complementary medicine, and every day's program included lectures on acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Licensure In 1973, Nevada became the first state to adopt a system of licensure for acupuncturists. In 1974, Oregon conducted the first fonnal examination of acupuncture candidates. New York adopted a standard for licensure in 1975. Today, 41 states, including Minnesota, and the District of Columbia license the professional practice of acupuncture. Most states, including Minnesota, designate their practitioners as "Licensed Acupuncturist," while "Doctor of Acupuncture" is the legal title in Rhode Island, "Acupuncture Physician" in Florida, and "Doctor of Oriental Medicine" in New Mexico. California uses both "Licensed Acupuncturist" and "Certified Acupuncturist" to designate its practitioners. Candidate licensure in most states, including, requires passing the examinations provided by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), with the exception of California and Nevada, which have their own examinations. Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Research Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been continuously practiced for thousands of years. Before TCM/acupuncture began to achieve higher visibility in the West in the 1970's, very little scientific research had been done in the Unites States, although researchers in Asia had been applying scientific methodology to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for decades. Scientific 11