At the 1998 Annual Representative Meeting of the BMA a resolution was passed that the Board of Science and Education should investigate th e scientific basis and efficacy of acupuncture and the quality of trai ning and standards of competence in its practitioners'' This report su mmarizes literature sources and research on acupuncture, looks at safe ty aspects including the treatment's adverse effects, discusses educat ion and training guidelines, presents results from a survey of UK GPs and suggests future developments for acupuncture, particularly its inc reased incorporation into the NHS It will provide doctors, patients, r esearchers and purchasers of healthcare with information on this most widely used therapy of complementary and alternative medicine, enablin g them to become more informed on the value of acupuncture and its lik ely place within the NHS.