Commentary

Is Placebo Acupuncture What It Is Intended to Be?

Table 2

Results, treatment of low back pain.

Intervention: Author, year (ref.); number of included subjects (n)Proportion patients (in%) reporting decreased low back pain [1012] and increased function [11, 12] after treatment

Acupuncture
 Brinkhaus, 2006 [11]; n = 298 54
 Haake, 2007 [12]; n = 1162 48
 Witt, 2006 [13]; n = 3093 53
Minimal acupuncture
 Brinkhaus, 2006 [11]; n = 298 39
 Haake, 2007 [12]; n = 1162 44
Standard treatment
 Haake, 2007 [12]; n = 1162 27
Routine care
 Witt, 2006 [13]; n = 3093 27
Waiting list
 Brinkhaus, 2006 [11]; n = 298 15