Designing Acupuncture Trials

摘要

Veterinarians trained in Western (aka. conventional, traditional) medicine who also practice Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM, aka complementary, integrative, Eastern, etc.) including acupuncture confront a dilemma. In clinical veterinarypractice, acupuncture treatment is typically highly-individualized and based on a philosophical frame-work, and subjective and intuitive impressions. Results are based on veterinarian and owner observations. Good evidence is based on well designed and rigorous research and must be available and useful to veterinary practitioners and policy makers.