(Integrative Medicine) - Acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular among Americans and two new studies in the British Medical Journal suggest that it is a relatively safe form of medical treatment when performed by competent practitioners. Researchers in New York surveyed 574 members of the British Acupuncture Council and found that of the 34,407 acupuncture consultations they performed that year, no serious adverse events were reported. The acupuncturists reported 43 minor side effects (a rate of 1.3 per 1000 treatments), including severe nausea and fainting. Researchers in London surveyed 78 acupuncturists who were members of the British Medical Acupuncture Society and/or the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and found that of the 31,822 consultations they performed in the previous 20 months, 43 "significant" side effects occurred (a rate of 14 per 10,000 treatments). All of the "significant" side effects except two had cleared within one week and none was considered serious. In an accompanying editorial, Charles Vincent, PhD, concludes that, "while the risks of acupuncture cannot be discounted, it certainly seems, in skilled hands, one of the safer forms of medical intervention."

References

MacPherson H, Thomas K, Walters S, Fitter M. The York acupuncture safety study: prospective survey of 34,000 treatments by traditional acupuncturists. BMJ. 2001;323:486-487.

White A, Hayhoe S, Hart A, Ernst E. Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with doctors and physiotherapists. BMJ. 2001;323:485-486.

Vincent C. The safety of acupuncture. [editorial] BMJ. 2001;323:467-468.