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Hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV newscasts and websites around the world covered a new study on acupuncture, with headlines like “Acupuncture “Best for Back Pain” (BBC) and “Acupuncture Real or Fake Best for Back Pain” (MSNBC).

The media were reporting on the results of a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine that compared real acupuncture, “fake acupuncture” (in which the needles were placed randomly, not in the correct spots according to Chinese medicine) and treatment as usual for back pain.

But not a single general media account of the study noted that people with the most severe back pain -- those who have had surgery -- were not included in the research. Nor did the cheerleading reporting mention that the “usual treatment” group in the study was not allowed to use the strongest painkillers, the opioids like Oxycontin or even codeine.  Only non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) like aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil) were allowed.

It implied, however, by saying that this group used “painkillers” that stronger drugs might have been included.

In other words, this study shows that acupuncture is as good as over-the-counter pain medication, massage and physical therapy for mild-moderate chronic back pain. It does not show that acupuncture is superior to opioids or that it is effective for severe back pain. Although nearly twice as many people responded to acupuncture as to the conventional treatment, less than half found effective relief via the needles (47.6%).

In order to accurately cover the findings of a study, reporters need to dig into that study and get details, so they can inform readers about whether they are likely to get the benefits claimed by the study.

The study was certainly newsworthy in finding that “fake” and “real” acupuncture have the same benefits – and that they are equivalent to other alternatives like massage and physiotherapy.

But this study doesn’t tell us anything about acupuncture in comparison with the kinds of medication needed to treat severe pain – and it is inaccurate to imply that it does and offer false hope to readers with intense pain that acupuncture beats medications.

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