Advancing Health Through Research & Innovation
ACATCM is advancing evidence-informed research in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Canada — strengthening the profession, serving communities, and giving students direct experience in clinical research as part of their education.
Our Approach
Research as a Pillar of ACATCM’s Mission
ACATCM is a pioneer in evidence-informed research in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine within Canada. Our research programs are grounded in rigorous methodology, community need, and the belief that TCM practitioners must be both skilled clinicians and engaged contributors to the evolving body of scientific evidence that supports integrative healthcare.
Academic Partnerships
Our collaborative research is conducted in formal partnership with the University of Calgary and supported by the Alberta Government — ensuring academic rigour, ethical oversight, and real-world community impact.
Student Research Engagement
Research at ACATCM is not confined to faculty — our students actively participate in clinical research programs as part of their education, developing the evidence-informed practice skills that define next-generation practitioners.
Community Service Through Research
All ACATCM research programs are designed to deliver measurable benefit to the communities they serve — from youth mental health to chronic pain, disabilities, and social recovery — with services provided free of charge to participants.
Ongoing Research Program
Wellness Mind Research Program
Launched in 2024 and funded through the annual RBC Huatuo Invitational Golf Tournament, the Wellness Mind Research Program is ACATCM’s flagship ongoing mental health research initiative — engaging both Huatuo Clinic’s clinical expertise and ACATCM students in a structured, supervised research environment. Find Out More
Wellness Mind Research Program — Improving Mental Health Through Acupuncture
A clinical research initiative designed to rigorously investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress — providing empirical evidence to support acupuncture’s role as a complementary therapy in mental health care. Treatment is delivered by trained ACATCM student practitioners under licensed faculty supervision.
Program Details
- Lead Organization: Huatuo Clinic (not-for-profit)
- Collaborating Institution: ACATCM
- Commenced: March 17, 2025
- Location: Huatuo Clinic, Downtown Calgary
- Target Population: Ages 15–55 experiencing depression, anxiety, or stress
- Cost: Free of charge to all participants
Treatment Protocol
- 7 acupuncture sessions over 6 consecutive weeks
- Week 1: Two sessions
- Weeks 2–6: One session per week
- Delivered by ACATCM student practitioners under licensed supervision
- Validated measures: PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS questionnaires
- Full informed consent and participant data privacy protocols
Research Objectives
- Assess acupuncture’s effectiveness in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms
- Contribute empirical evidence supporting acupuncture as a mental health therapy
- Facilitate integration of acupuncture into conventional mental health care models
- Train ACATCM students in evidence-informed clinical research methodology
Expected Outcomes
- Measurable reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress for participants
- Enhanced community awareness of acupuncture as a credible mental health therapy
- Published empirical data supporting TCM integration into conventional care
- Students gain hands-on research experience as part of their professional education
Our Annual Fundraiser
RBC Huatuo Invitational Golf Tournament
of Canada
Golf Tournament
The RBC Huatuo Invitational Golf Tournament is Canada’s first golf tournament of its kind — combining competitive sport with a meaningful mission: advancing mental health through acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine research. Held annually at the prestigious Hamptons Golf Club in Calgary, the tournament raises essential funds to support the Wellness Mind Research Program at Huatuo Clinic and ACATCM.
We extend our deepest gratitude to RBC (Royal Bank of Canada), the proud title sponsor of the tournament, for their sustained commitment to mental health and community wellbeing in Alberta. RBC’s generous support makes this research possible — connecting the corporate community with the goal of building healthier, more resilient communities through evidence-informed integrative healthcare.
A sincere thank you to RBC (Royal Bank of Canada), title sponsor of the RBC Huatuo Invitational, for their commitment to mental health and community wellbeing in Alberta. Visit RBC at rbc.com →
Research Programs
All Research Initiatives
All ACATCM research programs are conducted in partnership with the University of Calgary and the Alberta Government, with Huatuo Clinic serving as the clinical delivery site. Services are provided free of charge to eligible participants.
The Wellness Mind Research Program is an exciting clinical initiative dedicated to advancing mental health care through acupuncture. Designed to rigorously explore its effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, the program aims to build strong empirical evidence supporting acupuncture as a powerful complementary therapy. At the heart of this effort is a dynamic clinical setting where ACATCM student practitioners, guided by experienced licensed faculty, deliver thoughtful, hands-on treatment—blending education, research, and patient care into a meaningful step forward for integrative mental health.
ABCHIP was a landmark community-based research project examining the effectiveness of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in addressing COVID-19-related pain, mental health, and addiction challenges in two vulnerable Alberta populations: youth (aged 24 and under) and seniors (aged 55 and over). The program provided free acupuncture, dietary therapy, and mind-body exercise to participants across Calgary.
Over 282 days, 606 patients received 5,424 acupuncture treatments. The results were striking and led to two peer-reviewed publications in leading international journals in 2024:
The economic analysis further demonstrated that ABCHIP’s cost per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) was significantly below international benchmarks — establishing the program as both clinically effective and economically sound.
ABSHIP expanded on the foundations of ABCHIP, establishing a community-based acupuncture services model focused on social recovery and economic participation. The program addressed the broader societal impacts of poor mental and physical health — including reduced workforce participation and social isolation — through structured acupuncture and TCM interventions delivered at Huatuo Clinic.
ABSHIP’s research protocol was formally published in a peer-reviewed journal, contributing to the evidence base for community-based TCM models as instruments of social and economic recovery. The program served as a critical bridge between ACATCM’s academic research capabilities and Alberta’s social health policy landscape.
The Alberta Innovative Disabilities Program (AIDP) represents ACATCM’s most recent major research initiative — a groundbreaking collaboration between ACATCM, the University of Calgary, and Huatuo Clinic, funded by the Government of Alberta Civil Society Fund. AIDP provides comprehensive, evidence-informed acupuncture and TCM services to individuals living with diverse disabilities, addressing both their physical pain and mental health needs through an integrated, collaborative care approach.
The program is designed to improve overall well-being and employability, increase re-employment prospects, and generate translatable knowledge supporting innovative approaches to disability care. All AIDP services are provided free of charge to eligible participants. If you are experiencing pain and/or mental health challenges related to a disability, you may be eligible to participate.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Published Research from ACATCM Programs
ACATCM’s research programs have produced a growing body of peer-reviewed, published scholarship — establishing acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine as evidence-informed disciplines with measurable, documented clinical outcomes.
Effectiveness of acupuncture in treating patients with pain and mental health concerns: the results of the Alberta Complementary Health Integration Project
Reports statistically significant improvements in pain severity, depression, anxiety, sleep quality, fatigue, anger, and overall quality of life across 500+ patients receiving 6 or more acupuncture treatments. A subgroup of 235 patients completing 12 treatments demonstrated particularly strong outcomes — including a 78.4% reduction in depression and 75.5% reduction in pain severity.
Peer-Reviewed ABCHIP Clinical OutcomesEconomic evaluation of acupuncture in treating patients with pain and mental health concerns: the results of the Alberta Complementary Health Integration Project
Presents a comprehensive cost-effectiveness analysis of the ABCHIP program, demonstrating cost per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) ratios well below international healthcare benchmarks — establishing ACATCM’s acupuncture interventions as not only clinically effective but economically sound investments in population health.
Peer-Reviewed ABCHIP Health EconomicsAlberta Complementary Health Integration Project (ABCHIP): Meeting the Pain and Mental Health Care Needs under COVID-19 for Vulnerable Populations
Foundational publication introducing the ABCHIP program design, methodology, and rationale — outlining how community-based acupuncture and TCM interventions were deployed to address the mental health and pain care gaps exacerbated by COVID-19 among vulnerable Alberta populations.
Peer-Reviewed ABCHIP Program DesignProtocol for Alberta Societal Health Integration Program (ABSHIP): Community-based Acupuncture Services Model for Social Recovery and Improved Economic Participation
Formally published protocol for the ABSHIP program, establishing a community-based acupuncture services model aimed at social recovery and re-employment for individuals whose health challenges have limited their economic participation. Provides a replicable framework for TCM-led community health interventions.
Peer-Reviewed ABSHIP Community HealthResearch as Part of Your Education at ACATCM
At ACATCM, research is not a separate academic exercise — it is woven into the professional education of every student. Participation in active research programs prepares graduates to be evidence-informed practitioners who contribute to the ongoing advancement of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Supervised Clinical Research Delivery
Students deliver treatment sessions within research programs under licensed faculty supervision — gaining direct clinical research experience.
Evidence-Informed Methodology
Students learn to apply validated outcome measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS) and understand the fundamentals of ethical clinical research design.
Contributing to Published Scholarship
ACATCM research programs generate peer-reviewed publications — giving students a connection to a growing body of evidence supporting the profession.
For Students
Research Engagement as Professional Development
The Wellness Mind Research Program, and all of ACATCM’s research initiatives, are specifically designed to engage students as active contributors to clinical research — not merely observers. This approach reflects ACATCM’s commitment to graduating practitioners who are prepared not just for practice, but for professional leadership in an evidence-informed field.
Student participation in the Wellness Mind Research Program is supervised by licensed practitioners at all times. Each student researcher receives orientation to the program’s methodology, informed consent protocols, and outcome measurement tools — developing skills directly applicable to evidence-informed practice throughout their careers.
- Hands-on experience conducting supervised clinical research from early in the program
- Exposure to validated research instruments used in published studies
- Connection to ACATCM’s academic partnerships with the University of Calgary
- Contribution to a program that provides real benefit to Calgary communities
- Preparation for leadership in an increasingly evidence-informed profession
Get Involved
Participate in or Support ACATCM Research
Whether you are a prospective student interested in evidence-informed education, a community member eligible for one of our free research programs, or a potential partner or sponsor — we invite you to connect with us.