[From mystical panacea to medical specialization: acupuncture as portrayed by the written press]

Based on articles from major newspapers in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the text examines the written press's discourse on acupuncture and the process of its legitimization, institutionalization, and legalization in Brazil. The topic is analyzed from a sociological perspective, focusing on three different periods: the 1970s, the 1980s, and the first half of the 1990s.