Placebo Devices as Effective Control Methods in Acupuncture Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT: While the use of acupuncture has been recognised by the World Health Organisation, its efficacy for many of the common clinical conditions is still undergoing validation through randomised controlled trials (RCTs). A credible placebo control for such RCTs to enable meaningful evaluation of its efficacy is to be established. While several non-penetrating acupuncture placebo devices, namely the Streitberger, the Park and the Takakura Devices, have been developed and used in RCTs, their suitability as inert placebo controls needs to be rigorously determined. This article systematically reviews these devices as placebo interventions. Electronic searches were conducted on four English and two Chinese databases from their inceptions to July 2014; hand searches of relevant references were also co

SUBMITTER: Zhang CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4633221 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature