This paper makes an interpretation of the collection Acupuncture: how to improve the evidence base published by BMJ & BMJ Open. Studies show that the quality of randomized controlled trial(RCT) of acupuncture is low
and multivariable Meta-regression analysis fails to confirm most factors commonly believed to influence the effect of acupuncture.The methodological challenges in design and conduct of RCT in acupuncture were analyzed
and a consensus on how to design high-quality acupuncture RCT was developed. The number of acupuncture systematic reviews was huge but the evidence was underused in clinical practice and health policy
and a large number of western clinical practice guidelines recommended acupuncture therapy
but the usefulness of recommendations needed to be improved. In view of the problems in clinical research on acupuncture mentioned in this collection
combined with the analysis of the purpose of clinical research on acupuncture
perspectives
study types
as well as the relationship between evidence and clinical decision-making
a five-stage study paradigm of clinical research on acupuncture is proposed.
Acupuncture for treatment of tobacco withdrawal syndrome: systematic review and Meta-analysis
Meta analysis on acupuncture-moxibustion for agrypnia
Condition and effectiveness evaluation of acupuncture for smoking cessation
Efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion on peripheral facial paralysis at different time points:a Meta-analysis
Problems in randomized controlled trial on acupuncture and moxibustion for migraine in the development of international standard of Guideline for Clinical Practice of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Migraine