interpret this study carefully

[Guest guest]

webmd.com/content/Article/98/104886.htm?pagenumber=2

 

The devil is always in the details. If you read the study in the

annals of internal medicine closely, you discover the following:

 

1. 25-45% of the patients were unavailable for followup at the time

results were reported. This is likely (IMO) because the treatment

failed. the authors thus advise caution in interpeting the 26 week

results. This is critical as the 8 week results were not impressive.

 

2. ALL the 570 patients were on NSAIDS, so this study was one of

integrated east-west med, not TCM or acupuncture alone.

 

3. Points were chosen locally without regard to TCM differentiation,

thus validating allopathic approaches to CM.

 

4. the sham points were actual points, but were not actually

needled,just tapped, thus discrediting light and noninsertion methods

 

Yes, we can expect a lot of coming research to validate the use of

acupuncture, but as recent studies have shown, the methodology will be

allopathic, lend no support to our profession, per se, and further

justify the use of this technique by those with minimal training. I

actually see no societal harm in any of these trends, but if anyone

thinks this is a boon to acupuncturists, think again. The first thing

people will do when they hear this is look for an MD who does

acupuncture, not an LAc. The interviewee on NPR said 2,000,000 people

got acupuncture last year and he thought that was a lot. While I

actually think the number refers to office visits and not actual

patients, even if so, it would reflect the choices of less than 1% of

the american population. So while our patients may be satisfied with

our services, very few citizens are interested in them and I don't

really see that changing. If this study proves anything,it proves

that the likely predominant role for acupuncture in the future is as a

technique within western medicine.

 

I have been warning for years this would happen if we did not take the

research bull by the horns. Instead I was told my vision was

pessimistic. I believe I have shown a willingness to have my views

evolve over time (used to be a liberal, for example). Others should

consider at which point overwhelming evidence justifiably shake one's

faith (HINT: it should have been a long time ago).

 

[Guest guest]

Todd

your are correct as this high a drop off rate usually disqualifies a

study

alon

 

 

, " .geo "

wrote:

>

> webmd.com/content/Article/98/104886.htm?pagenumber=2

>

> The devil is always in the details. If you read the study in the

> annals of internal medicine closely, you discover the following:

>

> 1. 25-45% of the patients were unavailable for followup at the

time

> results were reported. This is likely (IMO) because the treatment

> failed. the authors thus advise caution in interpeting the 26 week

> results. This is critical as the 8 week results were not

impressive.

>

> 2. ALL the 570 patients were on NSAIDS, so this study was one of

> integrated east-west med, not TCM or acupuncture alone.

>

> 3. Points were chosen locally without regard to TCM

differentiation,

> thus validating allopathic approaches to CM.

>

> 4. the sham points were actual points, but were not actually

> needled,just tapped, thus discrediting light and noninsertion

methods

>

> Yes, we can expect a lot of coming research to validate the use of

> acupuncture, but as recent studies have shown, the methodology

will be

> allopathic, lend no support to our profession, per se, and further

> justify the use of this technique by those with minimal training.

I

> actually see no societal harm in any of these trends, but if anyone

> thinks this is a boon to acupuncturists, think again. The first

thing

> people will do when they hear this is look for an MD who does

> acupuncture, not an LAc. The interviewee on NPR said 2,000,000

people

> got acupuncture last year and he thought that was a lot. While I

> actually think the number refers to office visits and not actual

> patients, even if so, it would reflect the choices of less than 1%

of

> the american population. So while our patients may be satisfied

with

> our services, very few citizens are interested in them and I don't

> really see that changing. If this study proves anything,it proves

> that the likely predominant role for acupuncture in the future is

as a

> technique within western medicine.

>

> I have been warning for years this would happen if we did not take

the

> research bull by the horns. Instead I was told my vision was

> pessimistic. I believe I have shown a willingness to have my views

> evolve over time (used to be a liberal, for example). Others

should

> consider at which point overwhelming evidence justifiably shake

one's

> faith (HINT: it should have been a long time ago).

>