Project Grant R01AT013452

The National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health awarded $1,322,441 to the University of California, San Diego on August 11, 2026, under the Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health program (CFDA 93.213) to conduct a multi-site feasibility study in preparation for a definitive clinical trial randomizing patients with acute pain to battlefield acupuncture, battlefield acupressure, or sham treatment.

Acute postoperative pain affects over 40 million annual surgical procedures in the United States, with many cases evolving into persistent pain. Current opioid-based treatment leaves over 80 percent of patients with inadequate pain relief and carries significant risks of misuse, dependence, overdose, and diversion. Battlefield acupuncture requires only a 4-hour certification course and involves inserting 1 to 10 small needles into the ear(s) that remain in place for multiple days, offering a low-cost, accessible analgesic with no systemic side effects or serious medical risks and applicability to nearly all patients. Battlefield acupressure is a needleless variant under consideration. Although tens of thousands of patients are treated with these techniques annually in U.S. military and Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities, and implementation throughout NATO's 31-nation membership is imminent, the efficacy of both techniques remains unclear due to limited, methodologically flawed prior trials.

Work is performed at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla, California. The performance period extends through July 31, 2029.