ARRC

Aims

ARRC's central aim is to serve registered acupuncturists and others by providing good quality information on research into acupuncture, thereby promoting and supporting further research into the subject.

ARRC also aims to increase awareness of the role and effectiveness of acupuncture and hence help in gaining wider acceptance for the use of acupuncture within our health system. ARRC was a collaborative venture set up in 1994 by the British Acupuncture Council and the Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine, a research charity. It is based at Thames Valley University and financed and governed by the British Acupuncture Council.

Specific activities and services

ARRC provides research advice to practitioners. Initial contact is through the co-ordinator and more complex issues may be referred to experts elsewhere for input. ARRC also provides access to research protocols, outcome measures and ethics committee submissions and publishes a directory of acupuncturists involved in research. ARRC provides a rapid and expert information service on acupuncture research and practice for acupuncturists registered with the British Acupuncture Council and other interested persons and organisations. ARRCBASE is a specialised resource that holds over 10,000 references on acupuncture and related practices. It is the only resource of its kind in the UK and requests for information have come from Europe, USA and Australia.

FTCM

The goal of the Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine is, through research and education, to bring the traditional Chinese system of acupuncture more centrally into the national health care system. They are funded partly by the British Acupuncture Council and recent projects include:
York Acupuncture for Back Pain Project (yacbac)
2 Acupuncture Safety Projects
Acupuncture for Menorrhagia Project (ACUMEN)
Acupuncture for Depression Project (ADEPT)
Standards for Reporting Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (the STRICTA project)

OMRT

The OMRT was established as a charity in 1998 with the aim of furthering the understanding of Oriental Medicine through supporting high quality research. This involves identifying research priorities, developing appropriate methodologies, acting as a channel for funding projects and disseminating the results.