NIH Consensus Statement

Volume 15, Number 5

November 3-5, 1997

Acupuncture
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Office of the Director

About the NIH Consensus Development Program

NIH Consensus Development Conferences are convened
to evaluate available scientific information and resolve safety
and efficacy issues related to a biomedical technology. The
resultant NIH Consensus Statements are intended to advance
understanding of the technology or issue in question and to
be useful to health professionals and the public.
NIH Consensus Statements are prepared by nonadvocate,
non-Federal panels of experts, based on (1) presentations
by investigators working in areas relevant to the consensus
questions during a 2-day public session, (2) questions and
statements from conference attendees during open discus
sion periods that are part of the public session, and (3) closed
deliberations by the panel during the remainder of the second
day and morning of the third. This statement is an independent
report of the consensus panel and is not a policy statement of
the NIH or the Federal Government.

Reference Information
For making bibliographic reference to this consensus state
ment, it is recommended that the following format be used,
with or without source abbreviations, but without authorship
attribution:
Acupuncture. NIH Consens Statement 1997 Nov 3-5; 15(5): 1-34.

Continuing Medical Education

This Continuing Medical Education activity was planned and
produced in accordance with the Accreditation Council for
Continuing Medical Education Essentials.

Publications Ordering Information

NIH Consensus Statements, NIH Technology Assessment
Statements, and related materials are available by writing
to the NIH Consensus Program Information Center, P.O.
Box 2577, Kensington, MD 20891; by calling toll free
1-888-NIH-CONSENSUS (888-644-2667); or by visiting
the NIH Consensus Development Program home page
on the World Wide Web at http://consensus.nih.gov.

NIH Consensus Statement

Volume 15, Number 5

November 3-5, 1997
Date of original release: November 5, 1997

Acupuncture

This statement reflects the panel's assessment

of medical knowledge available at the time the
statement was written. Thus, it provides a
"snapshot in time" of the state of knowledge on
the conference topic. When reading the
statement, keep in mind that new knowledge is
inevitably accumulating through medical
research.

National Institutes Of Health

Continuing Medical Education
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Office of the Director

Disclosure Statement
All of the panelists who participated in this conference and
contributed to the writing of this consensus statement were
identified as having no financial or scientific conflict of interest,
and all signed conflict of interest forms attesting to this fact.
Unlike the expert speakers who present scientific data at the
conference, the individuals invited to participate on NIH
consensus panels are selected specifically because they
are not professionally identified with advocacy positions
with respect to the conference topic or with research that
could be used to answer any of the conference questions.

Abstract
Objective
The objective of this NIH Consensus Statement is to inform
the biomedical research and clinical practice communities of
the results of the NIH Consensus Development Conference
on Acupuncture. The statement provides state-of-the-art
information regarding the appropriate use of acupuncture,
and presents the conclusions and recommendations of the
consensus panel regarding these issues. In addition, the
statement identifies those areas of study that deserve further
investigation. Upon completion, the reader should possess
a clear working clinical knowledge of the state-of-the-art
regarding this topic. The target audience of physicians
for this statement includes, but is not limited to, family
practitioners, medical acupuncturists, psychiatrists, and
specialists in pain medicine.

Participants
A non-Federal, nonadvocate, 12-member panel represent
ing the fields of acupuncture, pain, psychology, psychiatry,
physical medicine and rehabilitation, drug abuse, family
practice, internal medicine, health policy, epidemiology,
statistics, physiology, biophysics, and the public. In addition,
25 experts from these same fields presented data to the
panel and a conference audience of 1,200.

Evidence
The literature was searched through Medline, and an exten
sive bibliography of references was provided to the panel and
the conference audience. Experts prepared abstracts with
relevant citations from the literature. Scientific evidence was
given precedence over clinical anecdotal experience.

Consensus Process
The panel, answering predefined questions, developed their
conclusions based on the scientific evidence presented in
open forum and the scientific literature. The panel composed
a draft statement, which was read in its entirety and circulated
to the experts and the audience for comment. Thereafter, the
panel resolved conflicting recommendations and released
a revised statement at the end of the conference. The panel
finalized the revisions within a few weeks after the conference.
The draft statement was made available on the World Wide
Web immediately following its release at the conference and
was updated with the panels final revisions.

Conclusions
Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely practiced
in the United States. While there have been many studies of its
potential usefulness, many of these studies provide equivocal
results because of design, sample size, and other factors. The
issue is further complicated by inherent difficulties in the use of
appropriate controls, such as placebos and sham acupunc
ture groups. However, promising results have emerged, for
example, showing efficacy of acupuncture in adult postopera
tive and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in postopera
tive dental pain. There are other situations such as addiction,
stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis
elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back
pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, in which acupunc
ture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable
alternative or be included in a comprehensive management
program. Further research is likely to uncover additional areas
where acupuncture interventions will be useful.

Introduction
Acupuncture is a component of the health care system
of China that can be traced back for at least 2,500 years.
The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise
that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) through the body
that are essential for health. Disruptions of this flow are
believed to be responsible for disease. Acupuncture may
correct imbalances of flow at identifiable points close to
the skin. The practice of acupuncture to treat identifiable
pathophysiological conditions in American medicine was
rare until the visit of President Nixon to China in 1972.
Since that time, there has been an explosion of interest
in the United States and Europe in the application of the
technique of acupuncture to Western medicine.
Acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving
stimulation of anatomical locations on the skin by a variety
of techniques. There are a variety of approaches to diag
nosis and treatment in American acupuncture that incor
porate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and
other countries. The most studied mechanism of stimula
tion of acupuncture points employs penetration of the skin
by thin, solid, metallic needles, which are manipulated manu
ally or by electrical stimulation. The majority of comments in
this report are based on data that came from such studies.
Stimulation of these areas by moxibustion, pressure, heat,
and lasers is used in acupuncture practice, but because
of the paucity of studies, these techniques are more
difficult to evaluate.
Acupuncture has been used by millions of American
patients and performed by thousands of physicians,
dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners for relief
or prevention of pain and for a variety of health conditions.
After reviewing the existing body of knowledge, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration recently removed acupunc
ture needles from the category of experimental medical
devices and now regulates them just as it does other

devices, such as surgical scalpels and hypodermic

syringes, under good manufacturing practices and
single-use standards of sterility.
Over the years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
has funded a variety of research projects on acupuncture,
including studies on the mechanisms by which acupuncture
may produce its effects, as well as clinical trials and other
studies. There is also a considerable body of international
literature on the risks and benefits of acupuncture, and
the World Health Organization lists a variety of medical
conditions that may benefit from the use of acupuncture
or moxibustion. Such applications include prevention and
treatment of nausea and vomiting; treatment of pain and
addictions to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; treatment
of pulmonary problems such as asthma and bronchitis;
and rehabilitation from neurological damage such as
that caused by stroke.
To address important issues regarding acupuncture, the
NIH Office of Alternative Medicine and the NIH Office of
Medical Applications of Research organized a 2 1/2-day
conference to evaluate the scientific and medical data on
the uses, risks, and benefits of acupuncture procedures
for a variety of conditions. Cosponsors of the conference
were the National Cancer Institute, the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the National
Institute of Dental Research, the National Institute on
Drug Abuse, and the Office of Research on Womens
Health of the NIH. The conference brought together
national and international experts in the fields of acupunc
ture, pain, psychology, psychiatry, physical medicine and
rehabilitation, drug abuse, family practice, internal medi
cine, health policy, epidemiology, statistics, physiology,
and biophysics, as well as representatives from the public.

After 11/2 days of available presentations and audience

discussion, an independent, non-Federal consensus panel
weighed the scientific evidence and wrote a draft statement
that was presented to the audience on the third day. The
consensus statement addressed the following key questions:
What is the efficacy of acupuncture, compared with
placebo or sham acupuncture, in the conditions for
which sufficient data are available to evaluate?
What is the place of acupuncture in the treatment of
various conditions for which sufficient data are available,
in comparison or in combination with other interventions
(including no intervention)?
What is known about the biological effects of acupuncture
that helps us understand how it works?
What issues need to be addressed so that acupuncture
can be appropriately incorporated into todays health
care system?
What are the directions for future research?

What Is the Efficacy of Acupuncture,

Compared With Placebo or Sham
Acupuncture, in the Conditions for
Which Sufficient Data Are Available
to Evaluate?
Acupuncture is a complex intervention that may vary for
different patients with similar chief complaints. The number
and length of treatments and the specific points used may
vary among individuals and during the course of treatment.
Given this reality, it is perhaps encouraging that there exist
a number of studies of sufficient quality to assess the
efficacy of acupuncture for certain conditions.
According to contemporary research standards, there
is a paucity of high-quality research assessing efficacy of
acupuncture compared with placebo or sham acupunc
ture. The vast majority of papers studying acupuncture
in the biomedical literature consist of case reports, case
series, or intervention studies with designs inadequate
to assess efficacy.
This discussion of efficacy refers to needle acupuncture
(manual or electroacupuncture) because the published
research is primarily on needle acupuncture and often
does not encompass the full breadth of acupuncture
techniques and practices. The controlled trials usually
have involved only adults and did not involve long-term
(i.e., years) acupuncture treatment.
Efficacy of a treatment assesses the differential effect
of a treatment when compared with placebo or another
treatment modality using a double-blind controlled trial
and a rigidly defined protocol. Papers should describe
enrollment procedures, eligibility criteria, description of
the clinical characteristics of the subjects, methods for
diagnosis, and a description of the protocol (i.e., randomi
zation method, specific definition of treatment, and control
conditions, including length of treatment and number of
acupuncture sessions). Optimal trials should also use

standardized outcomes and appropriate statistical analyses.

This assessment of efficacy focuses on high-quality trials
comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture or placebo.

Response Rate
As with other types of interventions, some individuals are
poor responders to specific acupuncture protocols. Both
animal and human laboratory and clinical experience sug
gest that the majority of subjects respond to acupuncture,
with a minority not responding. Some of the clinical research
outcomes, however, suggest that a larger percentage may
not respond. The reason for this paradox is unclear and
may reflect the current state of the research.

Efficacy for Specific Disorders

There is clear evidence that needle acupuncture is efficaci
ous for adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and
vomiting and probably for the nausea of pregnancy.
Much of the research is on various pain problems. There
is evidence of efficacy for postoperative dental pain. There
are reasonable studies (although sometimes only single
studies) showing relief of pain with acupuncture on diverse
pain conditions such as menstrual cramps, tennis elbow,
and fibromyalgia. This suggests that acupuncture may
have a more general effect on pain. However, there are
also studies that do not find efficacy for acupuncture
in pain.
There is evidence that acupuncture does not demonstrate
efficacy for cessation of smoking and may not be efficacious
for some other conditions.
Although many other conditions have received some atten
tion in the literature and, in fact, the research suggests some
exciting potential areas for the use of acupuncture, the quality
or quantity of the research evidence is not sufficient to provide
firm evidence of efficacy at this time.

Sham Acupuncture
A commonly used control group is sham acupuncture,
using techniques that are not intended to stimulate known
acupuncture points. However, there is disagreement on
correct needle placement. Also, particularly in the studies
on pain, sham acupuncture often seems to have either
intermediate effects between the placebo and real acu
puncture points or effects similar to those of the real
acupuncture points. Placement of a needle in any position
elicits a biological response that complicates the interpre
tation of studies involving sham acupuncture. Thus, there
is substantial controversy over the use of sham acupunc
ture in control groups. This may be less of a problem in
studies not involving pain.

What Is the Place of Acupuncture in

the Treatment of Various Conditions for
Which Sufficient Data Are Available, in
Comparison or in Combination With Other
Interventions (Including No Intervention)?
Assessing the usefulness of a medical intervention in prac
tice differs from assessing formal efficacy. In conventional
practice, clinicians make decisions based on the character
istics of the patient, clinical experience, potential for harm,
and information from colleagues and the medical literature.
In addition, when more than one treatment is possible,
the clinician may make the choice taking into account the
patients preferences. While it is often thought that there
is substantial research evidence to support conventional
medical practices, this is frequently not the case. This
does not mean that these treatments are ineffective. The
data in support of acupuncture are as strong as those
for many accepted Western medical therapies.
One of the advantages of acupuncture is that the incidence
of adverse effects is substantially lower than that of many
drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the
same conditions. As an example, musculoskeletal condi
tions, such as fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, and tennis
elbow, or epicondylitis, are conditions for which acupunc
ture may be beneficial. These painful conditions are often
treated with, among other things, anti-inflammatory medi
cations (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) or with steroid injections.
Both medical interventions have a potential for deleterious
side effects but are still widely used and are considered
acceptable treatments. The evidence supporting these
therapies is no better than that for acupuncture.
In addition, ample clinical experience, supported by some
research data, suggests that acupuncture may be a reason
able option for a number of clinical conditions. Examples
are postoperative pain and myofascial and low back pain.
Examples of disorders for which the research evidence is

less convincing but for which there are some positive clinical
trials include addiction, stroke rehabilitation, carpal tunnel
syndrome, osteoarthritis, and headache. Acupuncture
treatment for many conditions such as asthma or addiction
should be part of a comprehensive management program.
Many other conditions have been treated by acupuncture;
the World Health Organization, for example, has listed more
than 40 for which the technique may be indicated.

10

What Is Known About the Biological

Effects of Acupuncture That Helps
Us Understand How It Works?
Many studies in animals and humans have demonstrated
that acupuncture can cause multiple biological responses.
These responses can occur locally, i.e., at or close to the
site of application, or at a distance, mediated mainly by
sensory neurons to many structures within the central
nervous system. This can lead to activation of pathways
affecting various physiological systems in the brain as
well as in the periphery. A focus of attention has been
the role of endogenous opioids in acupuncture analgesia.
Considerable evidence supports the claim that opioid
peptides are released during acupuncture and that the
analgesic effects of acupuncture are at least partially
explained by their actions. That opioid antagonists such
as naloxone reverse the analgesic effects of acupuncture
further strengthens this hypothesis. Stimulation by acu
puncture may also activate the hypothalamus and the
pituitary gland, resulting in a broad spectrum of systemic
effects. Alteration in the secretion of neurotransmitters
and neurohormones and changes in the regulation of
blood flow, both centrally and peripherally, have been
documented. There is also evidence of alterations in
immune functions produced by acupuncture. Which
of these and other physiological changes mediate
clinical effects is at present unclear.
Despite considerable efforts to understand the anatomy
and physiology of the acupuncture points, the definition
and characterization of these points remain controversial.
Even more elusive is the scientific basis of some of the
key traditional Eastern medical concepts such as the
circulation of Qi, the meridian system, and other related
theories, which are difficult to reconcile with contemporary
biomedical information but continue to play an important
role in the evaluation of patients and the formulation of
treatment in acupuncture.

11

Some of the biological effects of acupuncture have also

been observed when sham acupuncture points are stimu
lated, highlighting the importance of defining appropriate
control groups in assessing biological changes purported
to be due to acupuncture. Such findings raise questions
regarding the specificity of these biological changes. In
addition, similar biological alterations, including the release
of endogenous opioids and changes in blood pressure,
have been observed after painful stimuli, vigorous exercise,
and/or relaxation training; it is at present unclear to what
extent acupuncture shares similar biological mechanisms.
It should be noted also that for any therapeutic intervention,
including acupuncture, the so-called non-specific effects
account for a substantial proportion of its effectiveness and
thus should not be casually discounted. Many factors may
profoundly determine therapeutic outcome, including the
quality of the relationship between the clinician and the
patient, the degree of trust, the expectations of the patient,
the compatibility of the backgrounds and belief systems
of the clinician and the patient, as well as a myriad of
factors that together define the therapeutic milieu.
Although much remains unknown regarding the mechan
ism(s) that might mediate the therapeutic effect of acupunc
ture, the panel is encouraged that a number of significant
acupuncture-related biological changes can be identified
and carefully delineated. Further research in this direction
not only is important for elucidating the phenomena associ
ated with acupuncture, but also has the potential for explor
ing new pathways in human physiology not previously
examined in a systematic manner.

12

What Issues Need To Be Addressed

So That Acupuncture Can Be
Appropriately Incorporated Into
Todays Health Care System?
The integration of acupuncture into todays health care
system will be facilitated by a better understanding among
providers of the language and practices of both the Eastern
and Western health care communities. Acupuncture focuses
on a holistic, energy-based approach to the patient rather
than a disease-oriented diagnostic and treatment model.
An important factor for the integration of acupuncture into
the health care system is the training and credentialing of
acupuncture practitioners by the appropriate State agen
cies. This is necessary to allow the public and other health
practitioners to identify qualified acupuncture practitioners.
The acupuncture educational community has made sub
stantial progress in this area and is encouraged to con
tinue along this path. Educational standards have been
established for training of physician and non-physician
acupuncturists. Many acupuncture educational programs
are accredited by an agency that is recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education. A national credentialing agency
exists for nonphysician practitioners and provides examina
tions for entry-level competency in the field. A nationally
recognized examination for physician acupuncturists
has been established.
A majority of States provide licensure or registration for
acupuncture practitioners. Because some acupuncture
practitioners have limited English proficiency, credentialing
and licensing examinations should be provided in languages
other than English where necessary. There is variation in the
titles that are conferred through these processes, and the
requirements to obtain licensure vary widely. The scope
of practice allowed under these State requirements varies
as well. While States have the individual prerogative to set
standards for licensing professions, consistency in these

13

areas will provide greater confidence in the qualifications

of acupuncture practitioners. For example, not all States
recognize the same credentialing examination, thus
making reciprocity difficult.
The occurrence of adverse events in the practice of
acupuncture has been documented to be extremely
low. However, these events have occurred on rare
occasions, some of which are life-threatening (e.g.,
pneumothorax). Therefore, appropriate safeguards for
the protection of patients and consumers need to be
in place. Patients should be fully informed of their treat
ment options, expected prognosis, relative risk, and
safety practices to minimize these risks before their
receipt of acupuncture. This information must be pro
vided in a manner that is linguistically and culturally
appropriate to the patient. Use of acupuncture needles
should always follow FDA regulations, including use
of sterile, single-use needles. It is noted that these
practices are already being done by many acupunc
ture practitioners; however, these practices should
be uniform. Recourse for patient grievance and pro
fessional censure are provided through credentialing
and licensing procedures and are available through
appropriate State jurisdictions.
It has been reported that more than 1 million Americans
currently receive acupuncture each year. Continued
access to qualified acupuncture professionals for appro
priate conditions should be ensured. Because many
individuals seek health care treatment from both acu
puncturists and physicians, communication between
these providers should be strengthened and improved.
If a patient is under the care of an acupuncturist and a
physician, both practitioners should be informed. Care
should be taken to ensure that important medical prob
lems are not overlooked. Patients and providers have
a responsibility to facilitate this communication.

14

There is evidence that some patients have limited access

to acupuncture services because of inability to pay. Insur
ance companies can decrease or remove financial barriers
to access depending on their willingness to provide coverage
for appropriate acupuncture services. An increasing number
of insurance companies are either considering this possibility
or now provide coverage for acupuncture services. Where
there are State health insurance plans, and for populations
served by Medicare or Medicaid, expansion of coverage to
include appropriate acupuncture services would also help
remove financial barriers to access.
As acupuncture is incorporated into todays health care
system, and further research clarifies the role of acupunc
ture for various health conditions, it is expected that dis
semination of this information to health care practitioners,
insurance providers, policymakers, and the general public
will lead to more informed decisions in regard to the
appropriate use of acupuncture.

15

What Are the Directions for Future Research?

The incorporation of any new clinical intervention into
accepted practice faces more scrutiny now than ever
before. The demands of evidence-based medicine, out
comes research, managed care systems of health care
delivery, and a plethora of therapeutic choices make
the acceptance of new treatments an arduous process.
The difficulties are accentuated when the treatment is
based on theories unfamiliar to Western medicine and
its practitioners. It is important, therefore, that the evalu
ation of acupuncture for the treatment of specific con
ditions be carried out carefully, using designs that can
withstand rigorous scrutiny. In order to further the
evaluation of the role of acupuncture in the manage
ment of various conditions, the following general areas
for future research are suggested.
What are the demographics and patterns of use of
acupuncture in the United States and other countries?
There is currently limited information on basic questions
such as who uses acupuncture, for what indications is
acupuncture most commonly sought, what variations
in experience and techniques used exist among acu
puncture practitioners, and are there differences in
these patterns by geography or ethnic group. Descrip
tive epidemiologic studies can provide insight into these
and other questions. This information can in turn be used
to guide future research and to identify areas of greatest
public health concern.
Can the efficacy of acupuncture for various conditions
for which it is used or for which it shows promise be
demonstrated?
Relatively few high-quality, randomized, controlled trials
have been published on the effects of acupuncture. Such
studies should be designed in a rigorous manner to allow
evaluation of the effectiveness of acupuncture. Such studies
should include experienced acupuncture practitioners to
design and deliver appropriate interventions. Emphasis

16

should be placed on studies that examine acupuncture

as used in clinical practice and that respect the theoretical
basis for acupuncture therapy.
Although randomized controlled trials provide a strong
basis for inferring causality, other study designs such as
those used in clinical epidemiology or outcomes research
can also provide important insights regarding the useful
ness of acupuncture for various conditions. There have
been few such studies in the acupuncture literature.
Do different theoretical bases for acupuncture result in
different treatment outcomes?
Competing theoretical orientations (e.g., Chinese, Japan
ese, French) currently exist that might predict divergent
therapeutic approaches (i.e., the use of different acupunc
ture points). Research projects should be designed to
assess the relative merit of these divergent approaches
and to compare these systems with treatment programs
using fixed acupuncture points.
In order to fully assess the efficacy of acupuncture, studies
should be designed to examine not only fixed acupuncture
points, but also the Eastern medical systems that provide
the foundation for acupuncture therapy, including the choice
of points. In addition to assessing the effect of acupuncture
in context, this would also provide the opportunity to deter
mine if Eastern medical theories predict more effective
acupuncture points.
What areas of public policy research can provide
guidance for the integration of acupuncture into todays
health care system?
The incorporation of acupuncture as a treatment raises
numerous questions of public policy. These include issues
of access, cost-effectiveness, reimbursement by State,
Federal, and private payors, and training, licensure, and
accreditation. These public policy issues must be founded
on quality epidemiologic and demographic data and effec
tiveness research.

17

Can further insight into the biological basis for acupuncture

be gained?
Mechanisms that provide a Western scientific explanation
for some of the effects of acupuncture are beginning to
emerge. This is encouraging and may provide novel insights
into neural, endocrine, and other physiological processes.
Research should be supported to provide a better under
standing of the mechanisms involved, and such research
may lead to improvements in treatment.
Does an organized energetic system that has clinical
applications exist in the human body?
Although biochemical and physiologic studies have
provided insight into some of the biologic effects of
acupuncture, acupuncture practice is based on a very
different model of energy balance. This theory might or
might not provide new insights to medical research, but
it deserves further attention because of its potential for
elucidating the basis for acupuncture.

18

Conclusions
Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely prac
ticed in the United States. There have been many studies
of its potential usefulness. However, many of these studies
provide equivocal results because of design, sample size,
and other factors. The issue is further complicated by
inherent difficulties in the use of appropriate controls,
such as placebo and sham acupuncture groups.
However, promising results have emerged, for example,
efficacy of acupuncture in adult post-operative and chemo
therapy nausea and vomiting and in post-operative dental
pain. There are other situations such as addiction, stroke
rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow,
fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain,
carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma for which acupuncture
may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable
alternative or be included in a comprehensive management
program. Further research is likely to uncover additional
areas where acupuncture interventions will be useful.
Findings from basic research have begun to elucidate the
mechanisms of action of acupuncture, including the release
of opioids and other peptides in the central nervous system
and the periphery and changes in neuroendocrine function.
Although much needs to be accomplished, the emergence
of plausible mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of
acupuncture is encouraging.
The introduction of acupuncture into the choice of treat
ment modalities readily available to the public is in its early
stages. Issues of training, licensure, and reimbursement
remain to be clarified. There is sufficient evidence, however,
of its potential value to conventional medicine to encourage
further studies.
There is sufficient evidence of acupunctures value to expand
its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further
studies of its physiology and clinical value.

19

Consensus
Development Panel
David J. Ramsay, D.M., D.Phil.
Panel and Conference
Chairperson
President
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland
Marjorie A. Bowman, M.D., M.P.A.
Professor and Chair
Department of Family Practice
and Community Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Health System
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philip E. Greenman, D.O., F.A.A.O.
Associate Dean
College of Osteopathic Medicine
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Stephen P. Jiang, A.C.S.W.
Executive Director
Association of Asian Pacific
Community Health
Organizations
Oakland, California

20

Keh-Ming Lin, M.D., M.P.H.

Professor of Psychiatry
UCLA
Director
Research Center on the
Psychobiology of Ethnicity
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, California
Daniel E. Moerman, Ph.D.
William E. Stirton Professor
of Anthropology
University of Michigan, Dearborn
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Sidney H. Schnoll, M.D., Ph.D.
Chairman
Division of Substance Abuse
Medicine
Professor of Internal Medicine
and Psychiatry
Medical College of Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Marcellus Walker, M.D.
Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Lawrence H. Kushi, Sc.D.

Associate Professor
Division of Epidemiology
University of Minnesota School
of Public Health
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Christine Waternaux, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Chief
Biostatistics Division
Columbia University
and New York State
Psychiatric Institute
New York, New York

Susan Leeman, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Pharmacology
Boston University School
of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts

Leonard A. Wisneski, M.D.,

F.A.C.P.
Medical Director
Bethesda Center
American WholeHealth
Bethesda, Maryland

Speakers
Abass Alavi, M.D.
The Role of Physiologic
Imaging in the Investigation
of the Effects of Pain and
Acupuncture on Regional
Cerebral Function
Professor of Radiology
Chief, Division of Nuclear
Medicine
Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Brian M. Berman, M.D.
Overview of Clinical Trials
on Acupuncture for Pain
Associate Professor of
Family Medicine
Director
Center for Complementary
Medicine
University of Maryland
School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
Stephen Birch, Lic.Ac., Ph.D.
Overview of the Efficacy
of Acupuncture in the
Treatment of Headache
and Face and Neck Pain
Anglo-Dutch Institute for
Oriental Medicine
The Netherlands
Hannah V. Bradford, M.Ac.
Late-Breaking Data and Other
News From the Clinical
Research Symposium (CRS)
on Acupuncture at NIH
Acupuncturist
Society for Acupuncture
Research
Bethesda, Maryland

Xiaoding Cao, M.D., Ph.D.

Protective Effect of Acupuncture
on Immunosuppression
Professor and Director
Institute of Acupuncture
Research
Shanghai Medical University
Shanghai, China
Daniel C. Cherkin, Ph.D.
Efficacy of Acupuncture in
Treating Low Back Pain:
A Systematic Review of
the Literature
Senior Scientific Investigator
Group Health Center for
Health Studies
Seattle, Washington
Patricia D. Culliton, M.A., L.Ac.
Current Utilization of
Acupuncture by United
States Patients
Director
Alternative Medicine Division
Hennepin County Medical Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
David L. Diehl, M.D.
Gastrointestinal Indications
Assistant Professor of Medicine
UCLA Digestive Disease Center
University of California,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Kevin V. Ergil, L.Ac.
Acupuncture Licensure,
Training, and Certification
in the United States
Dean
Pacific Institute of Oriental
Medicine
New York, New York

21

Richard Hammerschlag, Ph.D.

Methodological and Ethical
Issues in Acupuncture
Research
Academic Dean and
Research Director
Yo San University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine
Santa Monica, California

Ted J. Kaptchuk, O.M.D.

Acupuncture: History, Context,
and Long-Term Perspectives
Associate Director
Center for Alternative
Medicine Research
Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts

Ji-Sheng Han, M.D.

Acupuncture Activates Endo
genous Systems of Analgesia
Professor
Neuroscience Research Center
Beijing Medical University
Beijing, China

Janet Konefal, Ph.D., Ed.D.,

M.P.H., C.A.
Acupuncture and Addictions
Associate Professor
Acupuncture Research and
Training Programs
Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioral Sciences
University of Miami
School of Medicine
Miami, Florida

Joseph M. Helms, M.D.

Acupuncture Around the World
in Modern Medical Practice
Founding President
American Academy of
Medical Acupuncture
Berkeley, California
Kim A. Jobst, D.M., M.R.C.P.
Respiratory Indications
University Department of
Medicine and Therapeutics
Gardiner Institute
Glasgow, Scotland
United Kingdom
Gary Kaplan, D.O.
Efficacy of Acupuncture in the
Treatment of Osteoarthritis
and Musculoskeletal Pain
President
Medical Acupuncture Research
Foundation
Arlington, Virginia

22

Lixing Lao, Ph.D., L.Ac.

Dental and Postoperative Pain
Assistant Professor of
Family Medicine
Department of Family and
Complementary Medicine
University of Maryland
School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
C. David Lytle, Ph.D.
Safety and Regulation of
Acupuncture Needles and
Other Devices
Research Biophysicist
Center for Devices and
Radiological Health
U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
Rockville, Maryland

Margaret A. Naeser, Ph.D.,

Lic.Ac., Dipl. Ac.
Neurological Rehabilitation:
Acupuncture and Laser
Acupuncture To Treat
Paralysis in Stroke and
Other Paralytic Conditions
and Pain in Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome
Research Professor of Neurology
Neuroimaging Section
Boston University Aphasia
Research Center
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts
Lorenz K.Y. Ng, M.D.
What Is Acupuncture?
Clinical Professor of Neurology
George Washington University
School of Medicine
Medical Director
Pain Management Program
National Rehabilitation Hospital
Bethesda, Maryland
Andrew Parfitt, Ph.D.
Nausea and Vomiting
Researcher
Laboratory of Developmental
Neurobiology
National Institute of Child
Health and Human
Development
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

Judith C. Shlay, M.D.

Neuropathic Pain
Assistant Professor in
Family Medicine
Denver Public Health
Denver, Colorado
Alan I. Trachtenberg, M.D., M.P.H.
American Acupuncture:
Primary Care, Public
Health, and Policy
Medical Officer
Office of Science Policy
and Communication
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health
Rockville, Maryland
Jin Yu, M.D.
Induction of Ovulation
With Acupuncture
Professor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology
Obstetrical and Gynecological
Hospital
Shanghai Medical University
Shanghai, China

Bruce Pomeranz, M.D., Ph.D.

Summary of Acupuncture
and Pain
Professor
Departments of Zoology
and Physiology
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

23

Planning
Committee
Alan I. Trachtenberg, M.D., M.P.H.
Planning Committee Chairperson
Medical Officer
Office of Science Policy and
Communication
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health
Rockville, Maryland
Brian M. Berman, M.D.
Associate Professor of
Family Medicine
Director
Center for Complementary
Medicine
University of Maryland
School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
Hannah V. Bradford, M.Ac.
Acupuncturist
Society for Acupuncture
Research
Bethesda, Maryland
Elsa Bray
Program Analyst
Office of Medical Applications
of Research
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Patricia Bryant, Ph.D.
Director
Behavior, Pain, Oral Function,
and Epidemiology Program
Division of Extramural Research
National Institute of Dental
Research
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

24

Claire M. Cassidy, Ph.D.

Director
Paradigms Found Consulting
Bethesda, Maryland
Jerry Cott, Ph.D.
Head
Pharmacology Treatment Program
National Institute of Mental
Health
National Institutes of Health
Rockville, Maryland
George W. Counts, M.D.
Director
Office of Research on Minority
and Womens Health
National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Patricia D. Culliton, M.A., L.Ac.
Director
Alternative Medicine Division
Hennepin County Medical Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jerry M. Elliott
Program Management and
Analysis Officer
Office of Medical Applications
of Research
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
John H. Ferguson, M.D.
Director
Office of Medical Applications
of Research
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

Anita Greene, M.A.

Public Affairs Program Officer
Office of Alternative Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Debra S. Grossman, M.A.
Program Officer
Treatment Research Branch
Division of Clinical and
Services Research
National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institutes of Health
Rockville, Maryland
William H. Hall
Director of Communications
Office of Medical Applications
of Research
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Richard Hammerschlag, Ph.D.
Academic Dean and
Research Director
Yo San University of Traditional
Chinese Medicine
Santa Monica, California
Freddie Ann Hoffman, M.D.
Deputy Director, Medicine Staff
Office of Health Affairs
U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
Rockville, Maryland
Wayne B. Jonas, M.D.
Director
Office of Alternative Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Gary Kaplan, D.O.
President
Medical Acupuncture
Research Foundation
Arlington, Virginia

Charlotte R. Kerr, R.N., M.P.H.,

M.Ac.
Practitioner of Traditional
Acupuncture
The Center for Traditional
Acupuncture
Columbia, Maryland
Thomas J. Kiresuk, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Addiction and
Alternative Medicine
Research
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cheryl Kitt, Ph.D.
Program Officer
Division of Convulsive, Infectious
and Immune Disorders
National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Janet Konefal, Ph.D., Ed.D.,
M.P.H., C.A.
Associate Professor
Acupuncture Research and
Training Programs
Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioral Sciences
University of Miami
School of Medicine
Miami, Florida
Sung J. Liao, M.D., D.P.H.
Clinical Professor of
Surgical Sciences
Department of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery
New York University College
of Dentistry
Consultant
Rust Institute of Rehabilitation
Medicine
New York University College
of Medicine
Middlebury, Connecticut

Carol Kari, R.N., L.Ac., M.Ac.

President
Maryland Acupuncture Society
Member, National Alliance
Kensington, Maryland

25

Michael C. Lin, Ph.D.

Health Scientist Administrator
Division of Heart and
Vascular Diseases
National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

James Panagis, M.D.

Director, Orthopaedics Program
Musculoskeletal Branch
National Institute of Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland

C. David Lytle, Ph.D.

Research Biophysicist
Center for Devices and
Radiological Health
U.S. Food and Drug
Administration
Rockville, Maryland

David J. Ramsay, D.M., D.Phil.

Panel and Conference
Chairperson
President
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland

James D. Moran, Lic.Ac., D.Ac.,

C.A.A.P., C.A.S.
President Emeritus and Doctor
of Acupuncture
American Association of
Oriental Medicine
The Belchertown Wellness
Center
Belchertown, Massachusetts
Richard L. Nahin, Ph.D.
Program Officer
Extramural Affairs
Office of Alternative Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Lorenz K.Y. Ng, M.D., R.Ac.
Clinical Professor of Neurology
George Washington University
School of Medicine
Medical Director
Pain Management Program
National Rehabilitation Hospital
Bethesda, Maryland

26

Charles R. Sherman, Ph.D.

Deputy Director
Office of Medical Applications
of Research
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Virginia Taggart, M.P.H.
Health Scientist Administrator
Division of Lung Diseases
National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland
Xiao-Ming Tian, M.D., R.Ac.
Clinical Consultant
on Acupuncture for
the National Institutes
of Health
Director
Academy of Acupuncture and
Chinese Medicine
Bethesda, Maryland
Claudette Varricchio, D.S.N.
Program Director
Division of Cancer Prevention
and Control
National Cancer Institute
National Institutes of Health
Rockville, Maryland

Lead
Organizations

Supporting
Organizations

Office of Alternative Medicine

Wayne B. Jonas, M.D.
Director

National Cancer Institute

Richard D. Klausner, M.D.
Director

Office of Medical Applications

of Research
John H. Ferguson, M.D.
Director

National Heart, Lung, and

Blood Institute
Claude Lenfant, M.D.
Director
National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.
Director
National Institute of Arthritis
and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases
Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
Director
National Institute of Dental
Research
Harold C. Slavkin, D.D.S.
Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Alan I. Leshner, Ph.D.
Director
Office of Research on Womens
Health
Vivian W. Pinn, M.D.
Director

27

Bibliography
The speakers listed above identified the following key references
in developing their presentations for the consensus conference.
A more complete bibliography prepared by the National Library
of Medicine at NIH, along with the references below, was provided
to the consensus panel for its consideration. The full NLM bibliography
is available at the following Web site: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/
cbm/acupuncture.html.

Addictions
Bullock MD, Umen AJ, Culliton PD, Olander RT. Acupuncture
treatment of alcoholic recidivism: a pilot study. Clin Exp Res
1987;11:292-5.
Bullock ML, Culliton PD, Olander RT. Controlled trial of acupuncture
for severe recidivist alcoholism. Lancet 1989;1:1435-9.
Clavel-Chapelon F, Paoletti C, Banhamou S. Smoking cessation
rates 4 years after treatment by nicotine gum and acupuncture.
Prev Med 1997 Jan-Feb;26(1):25-8.
He D, Berg JE, Hostmark AT. Effects of acupuncture on smoking
cessation or reduction for motivated smokers. Prev Med 1997;
26(2):208-14.
Konefal J, Duncan R, Clemence C. Comparison of three levels of
auricular acupuncture in an outpatient substance abuse treatment
program. Altern Med J 1995;2(5):8-17.
Margolin A, Avants SK, Chang P, Kosten TR. Acupuncture for the
treatment of cocaine dependence in methadone-maintained patients.
Am J Addict 1993;2:194-201.
White AR, Rampes H. Acupuncture in smoking cessation. In: Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews [database on CDROM]. Oxford:
Update Software; 1997 [updated 1996 Nov 24]. [9p.]. (The Cochrane
Library; 1997 no. 2).

Gastroenterology
Cahn AM, Carayon P, Hill C, Flamant R. Acupuncture in gastroscopy.
Lancet 1978;1(8057):182-3.
Chang FY, Chey WY, Ouyang A. Effect of transcutaneous nerve
stimulation on esophageal function in normal subjectsevidence
for a somatovisceral reflex. Amer J Chinese Med 1996;24(2):185-92.
Jin HO, Zhou L, Lee KY, Chang TM, Chey WY. Inhibition of acid
secretion by electrical acupuncture is mediated via J-endorphin and
somatostatin. Am J Physiol 1996;271(34):G524-G530.

29

Li Y, Tougas G, Chiverton SG, Hunt RH. The effect of acupuncture

on gastrointestinal function and disorders. Am J Gastroenterol
1992;87(10):1372-81.

General Pain
Chen XH, Han JS. All three types of opioid receptors in the spinal
cord are important for 2/15 Hz electroacupuncture analgesia. Eur J
Pharmacol 1992;211:203-10.
Patel M, Gutzwiller F, et al. A meta-analysis of acupuncture for
chronic pain. Int J Epidemiol 1989;18:900-6.
Portnoy RK. Drug therapy for neuropathic pain. Drug Ther 1993;23:41-5.
Shlay JC et al. The efficacy of a standardized acupuncture regimen
compared to placebo as a treatment of pain caused by peripheral
neuropathy in HIV-infected patients. CPCRA protocol 022. 1994.
Tang NM, Dong HW, Wang XM, Tsui ZC, Han JS. Cholecystokinin
antisense RNA increases the analgesic effect induced by EA or low
dose morphine: conversion of low responder rats into high responders.
Pain 1997;71:71-80.
Ter Riet G, Kleijnen J, Knipschild P. Acupuncture and chronic pain:
a criteria based meta-analysis. J Clin Epidemiol 1990;43:1191-9.
Zhu CB, Li XY, Zhu YH, Xu SF. Binding sites of mu receptor increased
when acupuncture analgesia was enhanced by droperidol: an auto
radiographic study. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 1995;16(4):289-384.

History and Reviews

Helms JM. Acupuncture energetics: a clinical approach for physicians.
Berkeley (CA): Medical Acupuncture Publishers; 1996.
Hoizey D, Hoizey MJ. A history of Chinese medicine. Edinburgh:
Edinburgh University Press; 1988.
Kaptchuk TJ. The web that has no weaver: understanding Chinese
medicine. New York: Congdon & Weed; 1983.
Lao L. Acupuncture techniques and devices. J Altern Compl Med
1996a;2(1):23-5.
Liao SJ, Lee MHM, Ng NKY. Principles and practice of contemporary
acupuncture. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc.; 1994.
Lu GD, Needham J. Celestial Lancets. A history and rationale of
acupuncture and moxa. Cambridge University Press; 1980.

30

Lytle CD. An overview of acupuncture. Center for Devices and

Radiological Health, FDA, PHS, DHHS; May 1993.
Mitchell BB. Acupuncture and oriental medicine laws. Washington:
National Acupuncture Foundation; 1997.
Porkert M. The theoretical foundations of Chinese medicine.
Cambridge (MA): MIT Press; 1974.
Stux G, Pomerantz B. Basics of Acupuncture. Berlin: Springer Verlag;
1995. p. 1-250.
Unschuld PU. Medicine in China: a history of ideas. Berkeley:
University of California Press; 1985.

Immunology
Cheng XD, Wu GC, Jiang JW, Du LN, Cao XD. Dynamic observation
on regulation of spleen lymphocyte proliferation from the traumatized
rats in vitro of continued electroacupuncture. Chinese Journal of
Immunology 1997;13:68-70.
Du LN, Jiang JW, Wu GC, Cao XD. Effect of orphanin FQ on the
immune function of traumatic rats. Chinese Journal of Immunology.
In press.
ZhangY, Du LN, Wu GC, Cao XD. Electroacupuncture (EA) induced
attenuation of immunosuppression appearing after epidural or intra
thecal injection of morphine in patients and rats. Acupunct Electrother
Res Int J 1996; 21:177-86.

Miscellaneous
Medical Devices; Reclassification of acupuncture needles for the
practice of acupuncture. Federal Register 1996;61(236):64616-7.
NIH Technology Assessment Workshop on Alternative Medicine;
Acupuncture. J Alt Complement Med 1996; 2(1).
Bullock ML, Pheley AM, Kiresuk TJ, Lenz SK, Culliton PD. Character
istics and complaints of patients seeking therapy at a hospital-based
alternative medicine clinic. J Altern Compl Med 1997;3(1):31-7.
Cassidy C. A survey of six acupuncture clinics: demographic and
satisfaction data. Proceedings of the Third Symposium of the Society
for Acupuncture Research. Georgetown University Medical Center.
1995 September 16-17:1-27.
Diehl DL, Kaplan G, Coulter I, Glik D, Hurwitz EL. Use of acupuncture
by American physicians. J Altn Compl Med 1997;3(2):119-26.

31

Musculoskeletal
Naeser MA, Hahn KK, Lieberman B. Real vs sham laser acupuncture
and microamps TENS to treat carpal tunnel syndrome and worksite
wrist pain: pilot study. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 1996;Suppl 8:7.

Nausea, Vomiting, and Postoperative Pain

Christensen PA, Noreng M, Andersen PE, Nielsen JW.
Electroacupuncture and postoperative pain. Br J Anaesth 1989;
62:258-62.
Dundee JW, Chestnutt WN, Ghaly RG, Lynas AG. Traditional
Chinese acupuncture: a potentially useful antiemetic? Br Med J
(Clin Res) 1986;293(6547):583-4.
Dundee JW, Ghaly G. Local anesthesia blocks the antiemetic action
of P6. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 1991;50(1):78-80.
Dundee JW, Ghaly RG, Bill KM, Chestnutt WN, Fitzpatrick KT,
Lynas AG. Effect of stimulation of the P6 antiemetic point on
postoperative nausea and vomiting. Br J Anaesth 1989;63(5):612-18.
Dundee JW, Ghaly RG, Lynch GA, Fitzpatrick KT, Abram WP.
Acupuncture prophylaxis of cancer chemotherapy-induced sickness.
J R Soc Med 1989;82(5):268-71.
Dundee JW, McMillan C. Positive evidence for P6 acupuncture
antiemesis. Postgrad Med J 1991;67(787):47-52.
Lao L, Bergman S, Langenberg P, Wong RH, Berman B. Efficacy
of Chinese acupuncture on postoperative oral surgery pain.
Oral Surg Med Oral Pathol 1995;79(4):423-8.
Martelete M, Fiori AMC. Comparative study of analgesic effect of
transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS), electroacupuncture (EA),
and meperidine in the treatment of postoperative pain. Acupunct
Electrother Res 1985;10(3):183-93.
Sung YF, Kutner MH, Cerine FC, Frederickson EL. Comparison of
the effects of acupuncture and codeine on postoperative dental pain.
Anesth Analg 1977;56(4):473-8.

Neurology
Asagai Y, Kanai H, Miura Y, Ohshiro T. Application of low reactivelevel laser therapy (LLLT) in the functional training of cerebral palsy
patients. Laser Therapy 1994;6:195-202.
Han JS, Wang Q. Mobilization of specific neuropeptides by peripheral
stimulation of identified frequencies. News Physiol Sci 1992:176-80.

32

Han JS, Chen XH, Sun SL, Xu XJ, Yuan Y, Yan SC, et al. Effect
of low- and high-frequency TENS on met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe and
dynorphin A immunoreactivity in human lumbar CSF. Pain 1991;
47:295-8.
Johansson K, Lindgren I, Widner H, Wiklung I, Johansson BB.
Can sensory stimulation improve the functional outcome in stroke
patients? Neurology 1993;43:2189-92.
Naeser MA. Acupuncture in the treatment of paralysis due to central
nervous system damage. J Alt Comple Med 1996;2(1):211-48.
Naeser MA, Alexander MP, Stlassny-Eder D, Galler V, Bachman D.
Acupuncture in the treatment of paralysis in chronic and acute stroke
patients: improvement correlated with specific CT scan lesion sites.
Acupunct Electrother Res 1994;19:227-49.
Simpson DM, Wolfe DE. Neuromuscular complications of HIV infection
and its treatment. AIDS 1991;5:917-26.

Reproductive Medicine
Yang QY, Ping SM, Yu J. Central opioid and dopamine activities
in PCOS during induction of ovulation with electro-acupuncture.
J Reprod Med (in Chinese) 1992;1(1):6-19.
Yang SP, He LF, Yu J. Changes in densities of hypothalamic opioid
receptor during cupric acetate induced preovulatory LH surge in rabbit.
Acta Physiol Sinica (in Chinese) 1997;49(3):354-8.
Yang SP, Yu J, He LF. Release of GnRH from the MBH induced
by electroacupuncture in conscious female rabbits. Acupunct
Electrother Res 1994;19:9-27.
Yu J, Zheng HM, Ping SM. Changes in serum FSH, LH and ovarian
follicular growth during electroacupuncture for induction of ovulation.
Chin J Integrated Tradit Western Med 1995;1(1):13-6.

Research Methods
Birch S, Hammerschlag R. Acupuncture efficacy: a compendium
of controlled clinical trials. Tarrytown (NY): Nat Acad Acu & Oriental
Med; 1996.
Hammerschlag R, Morris MM. Clinical trials comparing acupuncture
to biomedical standard care: a criteria-based evaluation. Compl Ther
Med. In press 1997.
Kaptchuk TJ. Intentional ignorance: a history of blind assessment
in medicine. Bull Hist Med. In press 1998.

33

Singh BB, Berman BM. Research issues for clinical designs. Compl
Therap Med 1997;5:3-7.
Vincent CA. Credibility assessment in trials of acupuncture. Compl
Med Res 1990;4:8-11.
Vincent CA, Lewith G. Placebo controls for acupuncture studies.
J Roy Soc Med 1995;88:199-202.
Vincent CA, Richardson PH. The evaluation of therapeutic
acupuncture: concepts and methods. Pain 1986;24:1-13.

Side Effects
Lao L. Safety issues in acupuncture. J Altern Comp Med 1996;2:27-31.
Norheim AJ, Fnneb V. Acupuncture adverse effects are more
than occasional case reports: results from questionnaires among
1135 randomly selected doctors and 197 acupuncturists. Compl
Therap Med 1996;4:8-13.

34

Acupuncture
A Continuing Medical Education Activity Sponsored by the
National Institutes of Health/Foundation for Advanced
Education in the Sciences
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this NIH Consensus Statement is to inform the biomedical research
and clinical practice communities of the results of the NIH Consensus Development
Conference on Acupuncture. The statement provides state-of-the-art information
regarding the appropriate use of acupuncture, and presents the conclusions and recom
mendations of the consensus panel regarding these issues. In addition, the statement
identifies those areas of study that deserve further investigation. Upon completing this
educational activity, the reader should possess a clear working clinical knowledge of
the state-of-the-art regarding this topic.

ACCREDITATION
The National Institutes of Health/Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences is
accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor
continuing medical education for physicians.
The National Institutes of Health/Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences
designates this continuing medical education activity for 1 credit hour in Category I
of the Physicians Recognition Award of the American Medical Association. Each
physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the
educational activity.

EXPIRATION
This form must be completed and postmarked by November 5, 2000, for eligibility
to receive continuing medical education credit for this continuing medical education
activity. The expiration date for this test may be extended beyond November 5, 2000.
Beginning November 6, 2000, please check the NIH Consensus Development Program
web site (http://consensus.nih.gov) or call the NIH Office of Medical Applications
of Research at 301-496-1144 for information regarding an extended expiration date
for this continuing medical education activity.

INSTRUCTIONS
The consensus statement contains the correct answers to the following 10 questions.
Select your answer(s) to each question and write the corresponding letter(s) in the
answer space provided. Mail the completed test by the expiration date shown above
to CME Program, Office of Medical Applications of Research, National Institutes of
Health, Building 31, Room 1B03, 31 Center Drive MSC 2082, Bethesda, MD 20892
2082. You will receive notification of your test results within 2 to 3 weeks. If you
have successfully completed the test (7 or more correct answers), you will receive
a certificate for 1 hour of continuing education credit along with your test results. The
estimated time to complete this educational activity is 1 hour. Photocopies of this form
are acceptable. There is no fee for participating in this continuing education activity.

National Institutes Of Health

Continuing Medical Education

1. Acupuncture is: (You must indicate all that are true.)

a. based on the theory that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) through the body that
are essential for health
b. a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical locations on the skin by
a variety of techniques to correct imbalances of energy flow believed to be responsible
for disease
c. performed by licensed acupuncturists only
d. performed for relief or prevention of pain and for a variety of health conditions

ANSWER(S): _________________________________________________
2. There is clear evidence that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of:
(You must indicate all that are true.)
a. nausea and vomiting following surgery
c. smoking cessation
b. nausea and vomiting associated
d. fibromyalgia

with chemotherapy
e. pregnancy-related nausea

ANSWER(S): _________________________________________________
3. Research has shown that sham acupuncture, the placement of acupuncture needles in
positions other than known acupuncture points, elicits no biological response and is
an effective control group mechanism for studies involving pain.
a. true
b. false

ANSWER: ____________________________________________________
4. The incidence of adverse effects of acupuncture is substantially lower than that of many
drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions.
a. true
b. false

ANSWER: ____________________________________________________
5. Many studies in animals and humans have demonstrated that acupuncture can cause
multiple biological responses, which usually occur:
a. close to the site of application
b. at a distance from the site of application
c. either locally or distant to the site of application

ANSWER: ____________________________________________________
6. Mechanisms of action that may be activated by stimulation from acupuncture
include: (You must indicate all that are true.)
a. the release of endogenous opioid peptides, which may play a role in the analgesic
effects of acupuncture.
b. an increase in adrenal gland activity leading to increased corticosteroid and

catecholemine secretions

c. alteration in secretion of neurotransmitters and neurohormones

d. activation of the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, which may lead to a variety
of systemic effects

ANSWER(S): _________________________________________________

7. Which of the following factors may profoundly determine the therapeutic

outcome of acupuncture? (You must indicate all that are true.)
a. the expectations of the patient
b. the expectations of the patients family
c. the compatibility of the backgrounds and belief systems of the clinician

and the patient

d. the quality of the relationship between the clinician and the patient

ANSWER(S): _______________________________________________
8. An important factor for the integration of acupuncture into the health care
system is:
a. the need to develop educational standards for physician and nonphysician
acupuncturists
b. the need to establish a national credentialing agency for nonphysician

practitioners that provides examinations for entry-level competency

in the field

c. the need to develop licensing and credentialing examinations in languages

other than English to accommodate acupuncture practitioners who have
limited proficiency in English
d. the training and credentialing of acupuncture practitioners by the appropriate
state agencies

ANSWER: __________________________________________________
9. Licensure or registration for acupuncture practitioners is provided by
all states and the requirements to obtain licensure vary only slightly
from state to state.
a. true
b. false

ANSWER: __________________________________________________
10. Which of the following safeguards should be observed to prevent the
rare occurrence of any adverse effects of acupuncture?
(You must indicate all that are true.)
a. Use of acupuncture needles should follow FDA regulations, including the
use of sterile, single-use needles.
b. Patients should receive their first acupuncture treatment only from a physican
trained in acupuncture.
c. Patients should be fully informed of their treatment options, expected

prognosis, relative risk, and safety practices.

d. Patients should receive an acupuncture treatment no more than once

every two weeks.

ANSWER(S): _______________________________________________

Your response to the following four questions is optional and will have no effect on
the grading results of this test.
To what extent did this CME activity meet the stated objectives?
a. not at all
c. somewhat
e. completely
b. very little
d. considerably

ANSWER: _____________________________________________________
To what extent will participation in this CME activity enhance your professional
effectiveness?
a. not at all
c. somewhat
e. completely
b. very little
d. considerably
f. does not apply

ANSWER: _____________________________________________________
Do you have additional comments you think would enhance the utility or impact
of this NIH Consensus Statement?

Are there new topics you would like to have covered in a similar or related NIH
Consensus Development Conference or Statement?

NAME (Please type or print clearly)

TITLE
ADDRESS
CITY

STATE

PHONE

FAX

Please mail test to:

CME Program
Office of Medical Applications of Research
National Institutes of Health
Building 31, Room 1B03
31 Center Drive MSC-2082
Bethesda, MD 20892-2082

ZIP

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
Office of Medical Applications of Research
Building 31, Room 1B03
31 Center Drive, MSC 2082
Bethesda, MD 20892-2082

Official Business
Penalty for private use $300

BULK RATE

Postage & Fees

PAID

DHHS/NIH

Permit No. G802