Acupuncture in the Normal General Practice Consultation: An Assessment of Clinical and Cost Effectiveness

An audit of the effectiveness of acupuncture was carried out to ascertain whether short courses of acupuncture therapy in a normal general practice surgery setting were appropriate and effective. Clinical effectiveness was measured in terms of improvement in patient symptomatology, and the cost-effectiveness was assessed by asking, “What would have been offered if acupuncture was not used?” Fifty consecutive cases were analysed over a six month period.