Can acupuncture be patented?

According to Article 25 of the Patent Law, "diagnosis and treatment of diseases" does not belong to the object of patent grant. However, acupuncture and moxibustion therapy is a method aimed at treatment and cannot be patented. This is because acupuncture therapy is directed at living people or animals, aiming at treating diseases. Because it involves human health, it cannot be monopolized by a few people. In addition, acupuncture; Treatment can't be manufactured or used in industry, and it's not practical, so it can't be patented.

Although the acupuncture treatment method cannot be patented, the instruments or devices used in the acupuncture treatment method and the substances or materials in the treatment method belong to the patentable objects. Such as intradermal acupuncture needles, manufacturing methods of magnetic needles for acupuncture, manufacturing methods of rapid needle insertion devices for acupuncture, and manufacturing methods of painless needle insertion devices for acupuncture.

Under the framework of China's current patent law, acupuncture technology has no patent protection, but the United States can apply for a patent for dry acupuncture (that is, "acupuncture" of Chinese medicine).