Is Acupuncture Safe? by Brian B. Carter, MS, LAc

What does benefit-risk mean to us?

"There are categories that, from my perspective, clearly fall out where the benefits unequivocally outweigh the risks... I think physicians very frequently discuss risk-benefit ratios for all sorts of treatments, and it ultimately comes down to a decision between the patient and the doctor." - Questions and Answers from CDER's

Over-the-Counter Drug Products Public Hearing (FDA)

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs):

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen

"Gastrointestinal (GI) Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) from the +NSAIDs are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in arthritic patients taking these drugs... Clearly, the need to develop newer NSAIDs with lower risks of ulcers and bleeding as well as symptomatic ADRs is still representing a major challenge." - J Physiol Paris 2001

High dosage Steroid use (e.g. in Asthma or COPD)

"High dose of inhaled steroids may lead to adrenocortical suppression and hence estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women" - J Allergy Clin Immunol 1989 Feb

"the daily dose, but not the duration, of inhaled steroid therapy may adversely affect bone density" (osteoporosis) - J Allergy Clin Immunol 1995 Aug

"The potential risks of antiasthmatic inhaled steroid therapy are essentially dose-related and include oropharyngeal complications such as:

thrush and dysphonia, and

systemic complications such as

hyperactivity

behavioural change

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression

facial and weight changes characteristic of hypercortisonism

cataracts

increased intraocular pressure

dermal atrophy causing steroid purpura

retarded growth in children and

osteoporosis.

A few cases of fracture or acute adrenocortical insufficiency have been reported." - Can Respir J 1998

This last article is subtitled "First do no harm" after the Hippocratic Oath taken by most MD's.

Drug Misadventures: "Still, we know from studies published to date that drug misadventures account for:

8-10% of admissions of patients to hospitals

25% of admissions to hospitals by persons age 65 years of age or older

10-15% of visits to emergency rooms in some urban settings

4.5 drug order errors per 1000 drug orders in hospitals

Significant decreases in the quality of life (due to inappropriate prescribing, e.g., of hypnotics for the elderly)

2 in 1000 deaths in hospitals, and Deterioration or destruction of specific organs." - from "Toward defining and applying a higher standard of quality for medication use in the United States" from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

So in summary, it's clear that no medicine is totally safe. Except perhaps prayer!

Hopefully the comparison above is telling- the risks of most western medical interventions are greater than in acupuncture.

So, I ask you- if it works and it's safer, why is it an "alternative"?

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BIO:

Acupuncturist, herbalist, and medical professor Brian B. Carter founded the alternative health megasite The Pulse of Oriental Medicine (http://www.PulseMed.org/). He is the author of the book "Powerful Body, Peaceful Mind: How to Heal Yourself with Foods, Herbs, and Acupressure" (November, 2004). Brian speaks on radio across the country, and has been quoted and interviewed by Real Simple, Glamour, and ESPN magazines.

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