Acupuncturists show that acupuncture doesn’t work,

[tomroberts]

but conclude the opposite: journal fails

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(1) This paper, though designed to be susceptible to almost every form of bias, shows staggeringly small effects. It is the best evidence I’ve ever seen that not only are needles ineffective, but that placebo effects, if they are there at all, are trivial in size and have no useful benefit to the patient in this case..

(2) The fact that this paper was published with conclusions that appear to contradict directly what the data show, is as good an illustration as any I’ve seen that peer review is utterly ineffective as a method of guaranteeing quality. Of course the editor should have spotted this. It appears that quality control failed on all fronts.

www.dcscience.net/?p=4439

[mrjohnno]

Tell that to my brother in law. He suffered from back pain for years and years and tried everything. In the end he had to try other means and chose acupuncture. Not had a problem in five years though I'm still very skeptical that it did have any real effect. I think placebo but given the number of treatments before I just don't know. Maybe he didn't think it would work so the placebo effect was more efficient due to this

[summand]

Well, at least Edzard Ernst seems to think that Acupuncture has its merits. He recently mentioned in Vienna that there was good evidence that it helps with arthrosis. The german GERAC studies, although doubted cause of some flaws, indicated that acupuncture works for backpain. (But suggests massage, works better)

Well, I personally am unsure, but at least the therapy isn't unbelievable (sure the meridian stuff is crap), but sticking someone with needles might habe an effect...