Acupuncture edges toward US mainstream

As the United States looks for ways to address the nation's opioid epidemic, acupuncturists in California see an opportunity to push their traditional Chinese healing technique into US mainstream medicine.

"It opens a door for us," said Sam Huang, a San Francisco-based acupuncturist and activist. "Acupuncture has never been recognized by the US mainstream like now."

A US House bill, HR 6, which became law in October, promotes opioid recovery and treatment. The law orders research into barriers to accessing nondrug alternatives to opioids within the Medicare program, a national health insurance program. It mentions acupuncture as one of the alternatives.