Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher Emeritus
Publisher Emeritus

Donald M. Petersen Jr. is the editor/publisher of Acupuncture Today, the profession's most widely circulated and read publication. While not an acupuncturist himself, his goal is to operate Acupuncture Today and its website, including the popular digital edition of the publication, as effective tools stimulating growth and communication within the AOM profession. Don is also the president of MPA Media, parent company of AT, which also publishes the most widely circulated / read chiropractic trade publication (Dynamic Chiropractic) and provides a variety of other services to the professions, including educational webinars, patient health and wellness e-newsletters, and more.

Previous Articles

Deprescribing: It's a Thing (and You Can Help)
August 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 8)
When Research Catches Up to Reality
July 2021 (Vol. 22, Issue 07)
For Such a Time as This...
May 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 05)
A New Opportunity for Health and Wellness
April 2020 (Vol. 21, Issue 04)
AAAOM: Facing An Ultimatum
May 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 05)
AAAOM – The Beginning of the End (Part II)
April 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 04)
AAAOM – Making Promises They Can't Keep
April 2014 (Vol. 15, Issue 04)
Why the New Design?
May 2004 (Vol. 05, Issue 05)
Trending
News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.

Bruce W. Park, DACM