The BMJ Group is to begin publishing a medical journal on acupuncture from next year, it was announced today.

This will be the first complementary medicine title that the BMJ Group has published.

Acupuncture in Medicine isa quarterly title, which aims to build the evidence base for acupuncture. It is currently self-published by the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS).

From January next year, it will be issued through the BMJ Group’s Affinity programme on behalf of the Society.

BMJ Group provides a range of products and services to doctors, other healthcare professionals, and patients. Through Affinity this includes a full publishing service from business development, through editorial support, to sales and marketing.

As part of the service, the journal will be fully digitised and an archive of all its back issues will be made available online.

Acupuncture in Medicine was first published in 1982 and boasts a multidisciplinary international editorial board.

The journal’s editor in chief is Dr Adrian White, of the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth, and its editor is Dr Mike Cummings, Medical Director of the BMAS.

The Society has close to 3000 members, all of whom use Western medical acupuncture within primary and secondary care following an orthodox medical diagnosis by a suitably trained practitioner.

Commenting on the move, BMJ and BMJ Journals Publishing Director, Peter Ashman, said

“The journal is a good complement for our existing portfolio of journals and we're certain that the Society's members and other subscribers will appreciate the benefits of the decision the BMAS has made on their behalf.”