Joseph Audette, MD, MA

Dr. Joseph Audette is chief of pain management at Atrius Health in Boston and the current president of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA). He is a graduate of and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. His research on acupuncture for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome has been sponsored by the NIH and was mentioned as a seminal study by The New York Times. He is an internationally recognized investigator in acupuncture, winning the ICMART Science Award (The International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques) for the most influential study on acupuncture in 2017. While completing his residency at Columbia University, he attended the Tristate Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in New York. Dr. Audette is a recognized authority in dry needling techniques for the treatment of pain and point verification methods of acupuncture, and he has been teaching the Kiiko style of acupuncture for over 20 years.

Previous Articles

Regulating the Gut-Lung Axis for Post-Viral Syndromes
March 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 3)
Regulating the Gut-Lung Axis for Post-Viral Syndromes
February 1, 2025 (Vol. 26, Issue 2)
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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