Clinical trial evidence in complementary medicine: conclusions from recent, authoritative meta-analyses and systematic reviews
| Acupuncture | Homoeopathy | Manipulation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCT, randomised controlled trial | |||
| Conditions | Chronic pain | Any | Low back pain |
| Type of data summarised | 14 RCTs of various forms of acupuncture | 89 randomised and/or placebo controlled trials | 8 RCTs of chiropractic |
| Method of evaluation | Systematic review | Meta-analysis | Systematic review |
| Conclusion (verbatim quotes) | There is limited evidence that acupuncture is more effective than no treatment for chronic pain and inconclusive evidence that acupuncture is more effective than placebo, sham acupuncture or standard care | Clinical effects of homoeopathy are [not] completely due to placebo | [No] convincing evidence for the effectiveness of chiropractic for acute or chronic low back pain |
| Reference | Ezzo et al33 | Linde D et al34 | Assendelft et al35 |