The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 110, Issue 6 , Pages 481-485 , 15 April 2001

Prospective studies of the safety of acupuncture: a systematic review

  • Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
    • Corresponding Author InformationRequests for reprints should be addressed to Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, 25 Victoria Park Road, Exeter EX2 4NT, Devon, United Kingdom
    • ,
  • Adrian R White, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom

Received 11 September 2000 ,Revised 28 December 2000 ,Accepted 28 December 2000.

References 

  1. White A, Ernst E. Introduction. In: Ernst E, White A, editors. Acupuncture, a Scientific Appraisal. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann; 1999:3–4.
  2. Ernst E. Clinical effectiveness of acupuncture: an overview of systematic reviews. In: Ernst E, White A, editors. Acupuncture, a Scientific Appraisal. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann; 1999:107–127.
  3. Ernst E, White A. Life-threatening adverse reactions after acupuncture? A systematic review. Pain. 1997;71:123–126
  4. Umlauf R. Analysis of the main results of the activity of the acupuncture department of faculty hospital. Acupunct Med. 1988;5:16–18
  5. Chen F-P, Hwang S-J, Lee H-P, et al.  Clinical study of syncope during acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture Electro-Therapeutics Int J. 1990;15:107–119
  6. List T, Helkimo M. Adverse events of acupuncture and occlusal splint therapy in the treatment of craniomandibular disorders. J Craniomandib Pract. 1992;10:318–326
  7. Melchart D, Liao J, Hager S. Projektbericht 1994 uber die Erste Deutsche Klinik fur Traditionelle Chinesischen Medizin. Kötzting (in house report), Kotzting; 1995:21.
  8. Melchart D, Liao J, Hager S. Projektbericht 1995 uber die Erste Deutsche Klinik fur Traditionelle Chinesischen Medizin. Kötzting (in house report), Kotzting; 1996:86.
  9. Melchart DV, Hager S, Weidenhammer W, et al.  Adverse effects and concomitant symptoms associated with acupuncture treatment. A pilot study. Akupunktur. 1998;26:87–92
  10. Yamashita H, Tsukayama H, Tanno Y, Nishijo K. Adverse events in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment (a six-year survey at a national clinic in Japan). J Altern Complement Med. 1999;5:229–236
  11. Yong D, Lim SH, Zhao CX, et al.  Acupuncture treatment at Ang Mo Kio Community Hospital. A report on our initial experience. Singapore Med J. 1999;40:260–264
  12. Yamashita H, Tsukayama H, Hori N, et al.  Incidence of adverse reactions associated with acupuncture. J Altern Complement Med. 2000;6:345–350
  13. Ernst G, Strzyz H, Hagmeister H. Incidence of adverse effects during acupuncture therapy. The Web-Journal of Acupuncture via the Internet. Available at: http://users.med.auth.gr./∼karanik/english/articles/adv.html. Accessed 21 September 2000.
  14. Norheim AJ, Fonnebo V. Adverse effects are more than occasional case reports (results from questionnaires among 1135 randomly selected doctors, and 197 acupuncturists). Complement Ther Med. 1996;4:8–13
  15. Bensoussan A, Myers SP. Towards a Safer Choice (the Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Australia). Victoria, Australia: University of Western Sydney Macarthur; 1996;

PII: S0002-9343(01)00651-9

The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 110, Issue 6 , Pages 481-485 , 15 April 2001

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