In the world of medicine, money often speaks louder than words. The drug industry’s dollars seem to echo powerfully through the pages of leading medical journals. This unfortunate reality is underscored by Peter Gøtzsche, director of the Nordic Cochrane Centre in Copenhagen. He found that pharmaceutical companies funded reviews of drug studies are significantly more biased than reviews done without pharma support. Gøtzsche suggests ignoring any meta-analyses bankrolled by drug companies. But what about other sources of evidence-based medicine, such as the Cochrane Collaboration?

What is Cochrane Collaboration?

The Cochrane Collaboration is a collective of over 6,000 healthcare specialists who review biomedical trials and research findings. This group prides itself on operating independently from Big Pharma’s influence, relying instead on the passion and integrity of its individual members. As a result, it has earned a reputation as the most reliable source for evidence-based medicine.

Did Cochrane Collaboration review any controlled trials on acupuncture?

In recent years, the Cochrane Collaboration has taken on the challenge of reviewing controlled trials on acupuncture, an area often overlooked by pharmaceutical companies. Interestingly, these studies are far more likely to be unbiased, as typically they aren’t funded by drug manufacturers.

Cochrane’s investigations have found acupuncture to be effective for a range of conditions, including chronic lower back pain, idiopathic headaches, and pain management during labour. Moreover, pregnancy acupuncture has been shown to reduce the need for external cephalic version (ECV) for breech babies and decrease the use of oxytocin before and during labour. Additionally, acupuncture massage was found to be more effective than classic massage when treating patients with subacute and chronic non-specific low-back pain.

Reports from Cochrane on many other conditions treated by acupuncture conclude that acupuncture requires well funded large studies. We wish there was more money in acupuncture.

Please also note that controlled trials on acupuncture are not usually funded by pharmaceuticals and therefore are a lot more likely to be unbiased ;-.

Since the original post Professor Gotzsche published a few books, among them – Deadly Medicines and Organized Crime: How Big Pharma Has Corrupted Healthcare – PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ARE THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AFTER HEART DISEASE AND CANCER.

And about psychiatric drugs “psychiatric drugs kill more than half a million people every year among those aged 65 and above in the United States and Europe”

Gøtzsche, a specialist in internal medicine, has co-founded the Cochrane Collaboration, established the Nordic Cochrane Centre, and published over 50 papers in leading medical journals. Through his work with the Cochrane Methodology Review Group and his expertise in research methodology, he has helped establish guidelines for transparent and ethical reporting of medical research.

In a world where money speaks volumes, the Cochrane Collaboration and researchers like Peter Gøtzsche remind us of the importance of independent, evidence-based medicine. As acupuncture research gains traction, it’s imperative to remember the value of unbiased, well-funded studies in our ongoing pursuit of truth and better healthcare.