>
>
> On Thu, 18 Mar 2004, Michael Dawson -PSU wrote:
>
> > If acupuncture worked by anything other than its ritualized
> > exoticism/placebo effect, the be a corporate "Needles 'R Us" on every
street
> > corner.
>
> Oops. Clinical trials have demonstrated that acup. is
> an effective therapy for chronic pain and improves the range of
> motion in arthritis patients, compared to "placebo" treatments.
> Again, I think it's useful if we base our judgments about
> medical therapies on rigorous data, not common sense.
>
> Miles
Speaking of rigor, you might note that I didn't say it doesn't work. What I said is that it works via some kind of suggestion or distraction effect. While you're reading those medical papers, you might also note its low rate of effectiveness, which tends to confirm that the way it works isn't exactly powerful and reliable.