About NAFO

NAFO has by 15 August 2009 707 members and approx. 150 student members. NAFO was founded in 2005 after a merger between NFKA (founded in 1978) and NAHO (founded in 1993). NAFO is by far the most numerious  organisation for acupuncturists in Norway.
The members elect Board members and also the president of the Board.

In 2009 the Board consists of these members:

Cecilie Brewer (president), Helge Simonsen (vice president), Arne Kausland, Svein O. Røssberg, Trine Bruaset, Bernt Rognlien, Guro S. Fresvik and Ingebjørg Brekk.

The NAFO office is run by secretay general Kari Bente Sørlie. Two consultants; Merete Lindén Dahle and Hanne Aanensen, are also employed in NAFO.

Political aim
NAFO´s greatest measure is to have a statutory regulation (authorization) within a few years. NAFO are going to send an application for authorization to the Health Authorities within this year.

Education
Basic training required for membership is 240 studypoints (4 years full time study) – of which 90 studypoints in western medicine. Students from Norwegian College of Acupuncture and Nordic Acupuncture Training Centre are considered qualified for memebership in the association. In 2008 Norwegian College of Acupuncture fullfilled the criterias for a bachelor´s degree in acupuncture.

Legal aspects
In 2004 Norway got a new Act relating to the alternative treatment of disease, illness, etc. The act is very liberal, with few requirements. Therefore we can say that Norwegian  acupuncturists are mostly self regulated through membership in the association. Though when it comes to marketing of alternative medicine, there are strong restrictions. Here you can download the Act relating to the alternative treatment of disease and Regulations regarding the marketing of alternative treatment of diseases and Regulations regarding a voluntary registration scheme for practitioners of alternative treatment.

Funding
Acupuncture treatment is not funded in any way, so patients have to pay for the treatment themselves.

International affairs
NAFO has been a member of World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) since 1987 and a member of European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA) since 2007.

Chinese herbal medicine
There is no education in Chinese Herbal Medicine in Norway. Nevertheless, students at the two earlier mentioned colleges, get a 50 hours introduction to the area. In NAFO we only have about 20 practitioners with a education in Chinese Herbal Medicine. Only a handful of these are active practitioners.