On April 26–27, 2025, the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) held its annual academic conference in the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. This event also marked the 10th anniversary of the ASA’s founding, making it a significant milestone for the organization. The theme of this year’s conference was “Cultivating Our Future Together.”
Hundreds of attendees gathered from across the United States, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners, acupuncturists, herbalists, physical therapists, chiropractors, and some Western medical professionals. The majority of participants were local English-speaking Americans, with Chinese faces accounting for only about 10% of the attendees—and many of them did not speak Chinese. This was not only a major event in the mainstream American TCM and acupuncture community but also the largest TCM-focused conference in the United States to date.
Founded in 2015, the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) is dedicated to advocating for and advancing the professional and clinical practice of acupuncture and herbal medicine across the United States.
As of 2021, the ASA comprises 34 state-level member associations, with each state’s acupuncture society serving as a group member. These organizations collectively represent over 5,000 individual members. Nationwide, there are more than 30,000 licensed practitioners who hold advanced degrees in acupuncture and herbal medicine. ASA members benefit from the organization’s ongoing efforts, which have helped acupuncture and herbal medicine secure an influential position within the broader U.S. healthcare system.
A total of 11 experts and scholars were scheduled to speak at this year’s conference. Dr. Decheng Chen, the inventor of the Motion Acupuncture Needle, was invited to deliver a keynote speech titled “Motion Acupuncture Needle for Soft Tissue Injury and Pain.”
In his presentation, Dr. Chen gave a concise overview of the mechanism, techniques, procedures, and treatment steps involved in using the Motion Acupuncture Needle for pain management. The talk was enriched with a series of impressive treatment video clips. Particularly captivating were the dynamic before-and-after comparisons, which visually demonstrated the effectiveness of the technique in real time. Attendees listened attentively to every detail, and the presentation concluded with enthusiastic applause. Dr. Chen also answered questions from the audience on-site, addressing topics of great interest to participants.
After the conference, many acupuncturists inquired about how to join Motion Acupuncture Needle training courses. Leaders from several state acupuncture associations reached out to Dr. Decheng Chen, inviting him to visit their states to train practitioners in the Motion Acupuncture Needle technique. Among those who expressed interest were Lindy Burns, President of the Maryland Acupuncture Society; Haunani Chong Drake, President of the Acupuncture Society of Virginia; Stephen Durell, President of the Michigan Society of Acupuncturists; and Xin Tong, President of the Florida Acupuncture Association. All of them eagerly requested the creation of a course schedule.
Coinciding with the release of the English version of Essential Motion Acupuncture, attendees eagerly purchased copies of the book and requested Dr. Chen’s autograph as a keepsake.
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Through this conference, the influence of Motion Acupuncture Needle in mainstream American medicine was further expanded. Attendees were deeply impressed by the remarkable effectiveness of the technique and expressed great enthusiasm for learning it. There was a unanimous consensus that Motion Acupuncture Needle represents an important advancement in the future of acupuncture, and it is bound to make a significant contribution to alleviating human pain and suffering.
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