Losing control of research information

October 25, 2000

Good morning everyone,

> The

> point was made by one acupuncturist that if we as a profession do not

> begin to do the research, and others outside the profession continue to,

> we will eventually lose access to the information all together.

It is hard to say that we will lose access because the ethic of research, and

the

desire of its producers to have their research recognized in support of their

academic advancement and funding, will tend to insure publication. The web

will tend to insure distribution. What we have never had, however, is control

over the content of research. As part of his doctoral research Steve Birch

compared the number of points and the number of treatments in a course in

``failed'' in clinical trials of acupuncture. The sources of those treatments

were

largely English language texts, but both the raw quantities of points selected

and

the number of treatments given were inadequate when compared to the

treatments given in actual cases treated by acupuncturists.

It is absolutely fair to lay this problem at the feet of researchers who have

not

bothered to authenticate the protocols they test but it is also fair to note

that it

would be harder to do substandard research if our own standards for clinical

claims were higher and that we had more than a handful of people whose

credentials gave them access to publication in the scholarly and scientific

journals.

I have noted more positive reasons I feel we should engage research as a field

in

a recent post on another list many here probably read so I will not repeat it

here

except to say that it is not simply a matter of self-protection but self-

development as well.

Bob

bob Paradigm Publications

www.paradigm-pubs.com 44 Linden Street

Robert L. Felt Brookline MA 02445

617-738-4664

October 26, 2000

Thanks for your replies,

Having done and published research in another field I agree that we will have access to this information through

journals. Most of the research that was presented did have acupuncturists involved in some way. To gain "control" of the research will require more of us to get Ph.D.'s, at least in the short term. It is hard to say how long it will take for the new doctoral degree

to be recognized by granting agencies, if ever, since it doesn't compare to any other clinical degrees, and people won't be doing research to the degree it is done in a Ph.D.

Anyway, it was an interesting conference just wish more acupuncturists were getting NCCAM grants.

Sean

P.S. sorry if I started this on the wrong list

Robert L. Felt [bob]Wednesday, October 25, 2000 9:54 AM Subject: Re: Losing control of research informationGood morning everyone,> The> point was made by one acupuncturist that if we as a profession do not> begin to do the research, and others outside the profession continue to,> we will eventually lose access to the information all together. It is hard to say that we will lose access because the ethic of research, and the desire of its producers to have their research recognized in support of their academic advancement and funding, will tend to insure publication. The web will tend to insure distribution. What we have never had, however, is control over the content of research. As part of his doctoral research Steve Birch compared the number of points and the number of treatments in a course in ``failed'' in clinical trials of acupuncture. The sources of those treatments were largely English language texts, but both the raw quantities of points selected and the number of treatments given were inadequate when compared to the treatments given in actual cases treated by acupuncturists. It is absolutely fair to lay this problem at the feet of researchers who have not bothered to authenticate the protocols they test but it is also fair to note that it would be harder to do substandard research if our own standards for clinical claims were higher and that we had more than a handful of people whose credentials gave them access to publication in the scholarly and scientific journals.I have noted more positive reasons I feel we should engage research as a field in a recent post on another list many here probably read so I will not repeat it here except to say that it is not simply a matter of self-protection but self-development as well.Bobbob Paradigm Publicationswww.paradigm-pubs.com 44 Linden StreetRobert L. Felt Brookline MA 02445617-738-4664Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional services, including board approved online continuing education.