1. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
THE WAY FORWARD
Integration of Acupuncture into Mainstream Medicine
Jo Graham & Kate Duke
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

2. What is acupuncture and how does it work?
EASTERN
“Qi”
WESTERN
Release of opioid & other peptides
Activates hypothalamus & pituitary gland
Alters immune functions
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

3. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Why Integration?
Increase in popularity
Accessibility
Safe and fewer side effects or other negative effects
Proven effective modality
International acceptance
Cost effectiveness & affordability??
Talk about who we are and what we represent. Determine credibility, education, and professionalism.
Cost effectiveness: BMA recommended that further research should be conducted into this , particularly 4 those conditions in which acup has been identified as an effective form of care
Further study BMJ 15/03/04, Acup 4 Chr HA improves QOL at a small additional cost, relatively cost effective cf with a no. of other interventions provided by the NHS
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

4. World Health Organisation (WHO) Recognition
WHO publications surrounding Traditional Medicine
WHO guidelines and strategies on Traditional Medicine
Integration Utilization
Evaluation Cooperation
New Zealand participation in WHO?
Each point needs to be reasoned out and clarified.
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

5. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Cost Effectiveness
“Is Acupuncture for Pain Relief in General Practice Cost Effective?”
Lindall S: Acupuncture in Medicine Dec1999 Vol17(2)
YES. Acupuncture is cost effective in certain pain conditions
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

6. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
“Cost Effectiveness analysis of a randomised trial of acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care”
Wonderling D, Vickers A et al BMJ 15/03/04
Findings:
Improved Quality of Life
Decreased time off work
Decreased medication
Decreased visits to GP
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

7. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Evidence of Effectiveness National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference 1997
Post operative nausea and vomiting
Chemotherapy nausea and vomiting
Post operative dental pain
NIH Concensus Conference on Acup1997 published findings in JAMA 1998 Nov
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

8. Reasonable Studies for Relief of Pain
Lateral epicondylitis
Dysmenorrhoea
Fibromyalgia
Lower back pain
Post operative pain
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

9. Positive Clinical Trials
Addiction
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Osteoarthritis
Headache
Stroke rehabilitation
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

10. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Data in support of acupuncture is as strong as for many Western medical therapies
Advantage is less adverse side effects Ie
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

11. International Examples of Integration
Australia
USA UK
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

12. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Addiction Services
Reduction in withdrawal symptoms, relapse rates & an increase in retention rates
NADA protocol is the cornerstone of over 800 detox centres worldwde
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

13. Gynaecology & Obstetrics
Reported successful clinical studies
Obstetrics:- Induction, morning sickness, correction of abnormal foetal positions, deficient lactation
Gynaecology:- primary dysmenorrhoea, premenstrual syndrome, infertility, menopausal syndrome
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

14. Chronic / Persistent Pain
Prevalence estimates range from 10.1% -55.2% of the general population
Higher in females - usually musculoskeletal origin
Significant use of health care resources
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

15. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Clinical Evidence
“Limited evidence that acupuncture is more effective than no treatment for chronic pain”
Systemic Review: Pain 2000 ; 86:
“Acupuncture found to be superior to no treatment”
Vickers A et al Quality & Safety in Health Care2002;11:92-97
“Most results favoured acupuncture”
Patel M et al International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 18,
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

16. Acupuncture at the Wellington Regional Pain Service
Available since 2000
Used in a variety of conditions
Limited service
Patients trialed 4-6 times
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

17. THE WAY FORWARD: Ideas for integration
Education Programmes
Detoxification Centres
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Stroke rehabilitation
Pain Clinics
Post operative nausea and vomiting
Cancer
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine

18. New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
QUESTIONS??
Thank you for your time
New Zealand School of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine