Model-based economic evaluation of pharmacopuncture for chronic low back pain: a 3-year Markov analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and a major driver of healthcare costs. Excessive reliance on pharmacological treatments raises sustainability and safety concerns, highlighting the need for effective non-pharmacological alternatives. Pharmacopuncture (PPT), also known as herbal acupuncture or acupoint injection therapy, is widely practiced in some Asian countries (e.g., Korea and China) but remains uninsured in most health systems and largely excluded from international guidelines despite its clinical adoption. Evidence on its long-term cost-effectiveness compared with standard physiotherapy (PT) is limited.

Objective

To evaluate the cost-utility of PPT versus PT for patients with cLBP using a Markov model designed in acco

SUBMITTER: Lee YS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12850513 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature