Ear acupuncture has been used as an adjunctive therapy in many humanitarian aid situations, mostly in the form of the NADA protocol. However, there is little methodologically robust evaluation of its effectiveness for pain and anxiety in humanitarian aid environments.

The protocol was developed by Karen Charlesworth to create a safe, effective, and standardised protocol, suitable for use in humanitarian aid environments. The protocol is known as the Auricular Protocol for Pain and Anxiety.

It offers several advantages in humanitarian aid environments, such as being cost-effective, comparatively light and space-saving in transportation, has a long shelf-life, and little requirements for specialist storage.