Is there evidence for Acupuncture? What the Acupuncture Evidence Project Found
Acupuncture is often described as a traditional therapy, but in recent decades it has also been the subject of extensive scientific research. One of the most comprehensive reviews of this research is the Acupuncture Evidence Project, which examined how strong the clinical evidence is for acupuncture across a wide range of health conditions.
This project provides an important, evidence-based overview for patients, practitioners, and policymakers alike.
Background: Why the Project Was Conducted
The Acupuncture Evidence Project set out to evaluate the current state of scientific evidence for acupuncture, with a particular focus on systematic reviews and meta-analyses—the highest level of evidence in medical research.
Earlier major reviews, including the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs Alternative Therapies Review (2010) and the US Department of Veterans Affairs Acupuncture Evidence Map (2014), were used as starting points. The project then updated evidence levels to reflect newer research published since those reviews.
How the Research Was Reviewed
Researchers searched major medical databases, including PubMed and the Cochrane Library, for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between March 2013 and September 2016, with additional reviews included up to January 2017.
Evidence quality was graded using NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) levels
Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane GRADE framework, where appropriate
Results were presented in tables to show how evidence has evolved over time and how strong it is across different clinical areas
What Did the Project Find?
The review assessed 122 health conditions in total.
117 conditions showed some level of evidence that acupuncture has an effect
5 conditions were classified as having no evidence of benefit
For 24 conditions, the strength of evidence had improved compared to earlier reviews
An important consideration highlighted by the authors was that sham or placebo acupuncture controls are not biologically inactive. This means many trials may actually underestimate the true effect of acupuncture, making positive findings even more meaningful.
Overall Conclusions
Based on systematic reviews published up to January 2017, acupuncture was found to have:
Clear positive evidence for 8 conditions
Potential positive evidence for 38 additional conditions
Insufficient or unclear evidence for 71 conditions
No evidence of effect for 5 conditions
The Acupuncture Evidence Project A Comparative Literature Review by John McDonald, Stephen Janz January 2017 (Revised Edition) You can read the full report here.
Or the summarised document from AACMA here.
Conditions with Strong Evidence Supporting Acupuncture
These conditions showed consistent, statistically significant benefits in high-quality reviews, with authors recommending acupuncture as an effective intervention:
Allergic rhinitis (seasonal and perennial)
Knee osteoarthritis
Chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting (when used alongside anti-emetics)
Migraine prevention
Tension-type and chronic headaches
Chronic low back pain
Post-operative nausea and vomiting
Post-operative pain
Conditions with Moderate Evidence of Benefit
For these conditions, studies consistently showed positive results, though reviewers noted that more research is needed before firm conclusions can be made. The overall quality of evidence was rated as moderate to high.
These include:
Acute low back pain
Neck pain and shoulder pain
Sciatica
Anxiety
Insomnia (including peri- and post-menopausal insomnia)
Depression (as an adjunct to antidepressants)
Irritable bowel syndrome
Menopausal hot flushes
Lateral elbow pain (tennis elbow)
Plantar heel pain
Labour pain
Cancer-related pain and fatigue
Post-stroke rehabilitation, including spasticity, shoulder pain, and insomnia
Post-operative nausea, vomiting, and pain
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain
Read more here:
The Acupuncture Evidence Project A Comparative Literature Review by John McDonald, Stephen Janz January 2017 (Revised Edition) You can read the full report here.
Or the summarised document from AACMA here.
What This Means for Patients
The Acupuncture Evidence Project shows that acupuncture is not just a traditional therapy, but one supported by a growing body of modern scientific research. While it may not be appropriate for every condition, the evidence strongly supports its role—particularly for pain, nausea, headaches, and musculoskeletal conditions.
As research continues to evolve, acupuncture is increasingly recognised as a credible, evidence-informed therapy, especially when delivered by a qualified, AHPRA-registered practitioner and integrated into a broader healthcare plan.
