Comments on: Through the Looking Glass of Acupuncture Research

By: Science-Based Medicine » Battlefield acupuncture revisited: That’s it? That’s all Col. Niemtzow’s got?

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:09:30 +0000

[...] Acupuncture? Before I get to that study, let me refer you back to the words of our fearless leader Steve Novella when it comes to the normal manner in which medical evidence accumulates to support a therapy: [...]

By: wim_vandenberghe

wim_vandenberghe — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:45:06 +0000

Hi,

I have a somewhat related question regarding acupuncture and the induction of labor.

I live in Sweden and my partner is currently in her last 3 weeks of pregnancy. Yesterday, she went to her midwife (a regular, state-qualified one) who offered her the possibility of acupuncture to induce labor in case she carries over term.

Does this method have any valid studies to back it up? Or could this be a case of a medical professional making a calculated guess that my partner would be susceptible to the use of a placebo?

Thanks for your response,
Wim

By: TheBlackCat

TheBlackCat — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:45:01 +0000

It’s probably already been posted, but the article reminds me of this comic:

http://cectic.com/133.html

By: Jim Shaver

Jim Shaver — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:30:46 +0000

Sham acupuncture means that needles are inserted, but not in the proscribed locations.

Hey, isn’t sham acupuncture redundant? Or as Jack Nicholson would say, is there another kind?

By: Fizzizist

Fizzizist — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:11:19 +0000

I think they should just drop acupuncture already, like have’t these people ever heard of giving up when it is hopeless?

By: DevoutCatalyst

DevoutCatalyst — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:19:54 +0000

To practice acupuncture you must be licensed in your state. Is there a process by which states ever de-license (if that’s the term) a specific “profession” when it has been shown to be false? Or are we stuck with licensed acupuncturists forever?

Also, from Wikipedia:

“[Licensed acupuncturists] generally receive from 2500 to 4000 hours of training in Chinese medical theory, acupuncture, and basic biosciences.”

Which logical fallacy covers “hours of training”? The number of hours spent on training appears very important to quackery, and to the schools that sell the training.

Given the science, you could plausibly reduce the hours of training to almost nothing and still produce “competent” acupuncturists.