New York College of Health Professions has received an exclusive licence for a patented, new line of clothing and accessories that are said to provide the benefits of acupressure to specific points when in contact with the body.

Acupuncture and Acupressure have been used for thousands of years and are well known in traditional Chinese medicine having been shown to produce chemicals in the body that allow a person to either relax or become energised. "We now have the ability to apply this to lines of clothing," said Donald Spector, chairman of the board of trustees of New York College of Health Professions. "While the application in sports is obvious, these clothing and accessories can also be used to reduce motion sickness, help in weight reduction and assist in smoking cessation," he added.

The natural drug release is achieved by putting small seeds in the right places. When the consumer presses on these points they basically practise the most basic technique of acupressure. "We are not going to say that this is as effective as our licensed professionals that the College trains to become practitioners of acupuncture or acupressure," said Lisa Pamintuan, "but there should be a noticeable effect in many cases."

The college will launch the clothing and accessories line under the brand name MyChi but it also expects major apparel companies to licence its technology.