Reflections on biosafety in acupuncture

Abstract

Background: Acupuncture is an integrative and complementary practice for which biosafety standards are essential. Objective: To elicit a reflection on biosafety in acupuncture to reduce occupational hazards associated with infection as adverse effect for both provider and patient. Methods: The present theoretical essay is grounded on references intentionally selected from June through October 2019. Results: Infection is the adverse effect most frequently reported for acupuncture practice, which involves considerable risk of microorganism inoculation. Provider awareness should be raised to comply with biosafety principles and thus ensure their and patient safety without any negative implications for the effectiveness of treatment. Conclusion: We recommended providers to adopt universal biosafety practices during acupuncture procedures.