title: Status and strategies analysis on international standardization of auricular acupuncture points.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To supply literature for developing an international standard of auricular acupuncture points.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic database searches were conducted in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP, and the Western databases, Pubmed, the National Science and Technology Library, and the German Journal of Acupuncture, from 1990 to April, 2012. We also searched the documents of international symposiums for auricular acupuncture points (AAPs). Keywords were "auricular points", "auricular acupuncture points", "ear points", or "auriculotherapy".
  
  
  RESULTS
  Basic and clinical research on AAPs was performed in China, the United States, France, and Germany. Clinical AAP research was done in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, the UK, Holland, Japan, Russia, and Africa. However, AAP research was not communicated internationally. The World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies recommended international standard of auricular acupuncture points (ISAAPs). Standardized nomenclature and locations of AAPs would provide a solid basis to draft an international standard organization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Experts need to find common points from different countries or regions, provide evidence of different ideas, and list the proposal as a recommendation for an international standard.
authors.affiliation: School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Baixiao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Liqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D020831:Acupuncture, Ear / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic