Acupuncture is a cost-effective treatment modality, according to Korean authors who performed a systematic review of economic evaluations carried out alongside randomised controlled trials. Of the 17 studies included, nine were cost-utility analyses (CUAs) that measured quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and eight were cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) that assessed the effectiveness of acupuncture based on improvements in clinical symptoms. All CUAs showed that acupuncture, with or without usual care, was cost-effective compared with waiting list control or usual care alone. In the CEAs, acupuncture was found to be beneficial at a relatively low cost in six studies. (A systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses alongside randomised controlled trials of acupuncture. Acupunct Med. 2012 Dec;30(4):273-85).
Categories: Acupuncture research
