Recent clinical trials of acupuncture in the West: responses from the practitioners.

摘要: In the West, hundreds of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been performed testing acupuncture. They include two types: those that compare acupuncture to other therapies, usual care or no treatment (pragmatic trials), and placebo controls (efficacy trials). Acupuncture has generally well against therapies treatment, but until recently, evidence from considered equivocal contradictory. A recent series large RCTs, mostly in Germany also US included both pragmatic comparisons. The poises a conundrum for profession This essay first describes types RCTs used examine results chronic low back pain as representative examples studies. then presents most common Euro-American professions’ interpretation these results. Western responses included: (1) methodological weaknesses; (2) inappropriateness controls; (3) questions whether are “inert”; (4) rejection evidence-based medicine epistemology; (5) discrepancy between with real world acupuncture; (6) enhanced effects (7) needs re-evaluate theory. authors do not necessarily agree all responses; they presented an attempt foster critical discussion. paper looks at neuroimaging experiments on may point some worthwhile new avenues investigation. Finally, health policy consequences discussed.