Work

Reclassifying therapeutic strategies: The 5R model and role of acupuncture

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Mainstream medicine commonly categorizes acupuncture as “alternative and complementary,” a designation that reflects conceptual gaps in existing treatment classification systems . Integrating complementary medicine into the mainstream medical system requires a conceptual adjustment. Here, I propose a mechanism-based 5R classification— Removing, Repairing, Replacing, Replenishing, Regulating —to systematically categorize therapies. Based on this classification, acupuncture and its related interventions fall under functional regulation therapy. This framework offers a unified, functional perspective that facilitates the integration of complementary medicine into mainstream medical taxonomy.

Source: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcms.2025.12.003

Author: Weixing Pan

Institutions: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus

Language: English

Topic: Acupuncture Treatment Research Studies

Subfield: Complementary and alternative medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,400