Abstract
At Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, some patients who suffer from pain are turning to their primary care pharmacists for an unusual therapy known as battlefield acupuncture (BFA). According to the Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM), BFA was developed in 2001 by a U.S. Air Force physician for use by clinicians who care for military personnel and veterans. DVCIPM stated its hopes that the therapy, which consists of 5 tiny needles placed in specific points on the ear, can be “a primary or secondary modality to reduce the use of opioids and habit-forming drugs.” DVCIPM, which is part of the Department of Defense, has trained more than 2,800 clinicians in BFA through a 3-year DVCIPM–Veterans Health Administration pilot program. Jennifer L. Evans, course director and clinical pharmacy coordinator at Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Center in Fort Meade, Maryland, said about 65 pharmacists were trained in BFA during 4 sessions held at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in 2017 and 2018. She said additional pharmacists have been trained in BFA through other military venues.
Published Version
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