title: Acupuncture is all placebo and here is why.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alternative and complementary medicines such as acupuncture remain popular with the general public and many clinicians. The term "integrative medicine" is often now used to describe this type of non-science-based medicine, which has become more of a faith-based method of practice, making it harder to challenge. Acupuncture is commonly used to treat headache along with just about any other symptom and condition known to man.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians regularly fall into many misunderstandings when erroneously believing a real effect from acupuncture, when there is none. A perfunctory and poorly informed media contribute to the misinformation. Sixteen logical traps are identified which together explain most of the false reasoning behind the alleged effect of acupuncture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Practitioners need to do a better job of discerning truth from information and data available on acupuncture.
authors: Department of Neurology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Brian E
authors: BE
authors: McGeeney
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000379:methods*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain; D059408:Pain Management; D015990:Placebo Effect
keywords: acupuncture; alternative medicine; bias; placebo; placebo effect