Melanie Rubin, MEd

Melanie Rubin, MEd, is a NADA Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Co-Director of Acupuncturists Without Borders. Melanie has been a trainer for more than 25 years, delivering programs for health professionals in hospitals, acupuncture schools and bodywork programs. Melanie has worked with AWB since 2009 providing support for redeveloping the national training program, training delivery nationally and internationally, systems administration, marketing, the Haiti program, and other special programs.

Previous Articles

Healing the Core: AWB Nepal Earthquake Relief Project
September 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 09)
AWB Makes a Difference in the Yucatan
February 2015 (Vol. 16, Issue 02)
Acupuncture In Haiti: Aid that Works
December 2013 (Vol. 14, Issue 12)
Missouri Acupuncturists Provide Free Treatment for Trauma and Pain
August 2011 (Vol. 12, Issue 08)
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