46 Reviews / Testimonies of McLean Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

46 reviews of McLean Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, about Dr.Arthur Yin Fan, from http://www.bookfresh.com

https://www.bookfresh.com/cindex.php/profile/edit/cs/reviews_manage?utm_campaign=bf_trans%3A%3A16-Mar-02&utm_source=review_alert&utm_medium=email

Simply Amazing

3/2/2016

Deborah L. says: Dr. Fan is simply amazing. Regular PT failed my daughter and both. Dr. Fan far exceeded expectations. Love the atmosphere in the office

Thankful

12/30/2015

Kay S. says: Dr Fan is a super amazing Acupuncturist.. His Chinese Herbs have helped to save my life.. Dr Fan’s acupuncture opened up my meridian to the point where I even got pregnant. I had a healthy baby girl. Dr Arthur Fan knows exactly what he is doing when it comes to treating his patients with Acupuncture . He not only listens , but he treats his patients according to their diagnosis w his super excellent Chinese Herbs💗

PERFECT

11/28/2015

Gwen D. says: Dr. Fan is wonderful. He listens and is very patient and understanding of your issues. I highly recommend him.

Amazing

10/19/2015

Abdou Y. says: I have just started a treatment for a knee pain that has been threatening my ability to work out. Just after 2 visits to Dr. Fan’s center, I can only say that I feel way better than before as I don’t feel anymore about 70% of the pain. I can’t wait for the next sessions as I now hope for a complete healing. I was skeptical at first since I was stranger to acupuncture but not I can say it works.

Excellent

9/1/2015

Lynn D. says: I saw Dr. Fan yesterday for the first time and already feel like I have some improvement in my mood and stress level. Wonderful.

Doctor who cares

8/26/2015

Kasandra M. says: I just started seeing Dr Fan and I appreciate that he is looking at finding the cause of medical issues rather than masking symptoms. I have seen countless doctors and this one finally gives me hope. I have started feeling some relief with my various conditions and I know I have a long road ahead but Dr Fan is very kind, explains things and really targets where the issues are. I am so happy to have found him.

Great insight

7/24/2015

Barbara B. says: Dr. Fan listens more than most conventional doctors and is more attuned with what is going on with your health. His treatments are specialized and individualized to you. He has addressed specific concerns ranging from back discomfort, swollen joints, headaches, and colds, to helping to guide you to an overall sense of quiet and calm. Regardless of what ails you, a cupping session is a must.

Dr Fan Is Amazing

7/3/2015

Yuuna K. says: Dr. Fan is an outstanding doctor. He is trained in both western medicine as well as Chinese traditional medicine. He brings years of experience practicing both disciplines. He is amazing with acupuncture, diagnosis, and treatment suggestions. My body responded very positively to his acupuncture treatment. I would recommend him to other patients considering Chinese Traditional Medicine.

Post-Stroke Dystonia

6/9/2015

Sameer Y. says: I have an odd condition, and Dr. Fan is handling it with patience and success.

Excellent Doctor

4/7/2015

Robin S. says: I am fortunate to have found Dr. Fan who has helped me with a variety of issues: poison ivy, arthritis and allergies among them. His medical expertise is evident as he explains what is happening in the body and how acupuncture can support healing. His knowledge is balanced with kindness and compassion supported by an office environment that provides positive energy. I highly recommend Dr. Fan, particularly if other approaches to a problem have not brought relief.

Incredible!

4/6/2015

Eileen W. says: I was diagnosed with dystonia which affects my neck movement ability. Specialists such as neurologists, rehabilitation doctors suggest Botox injections which has side affect and not a long term solution. I had acupuncture in nearby NYC area and not much improvement. I found Dr. Fan and had great improvement under his treatment. And Dr. Fan is extremely kind and patient. Many thanks to Dr. Fan! Eileen

Very Helpful

4/6/2015

Gwen D. says: Dr. Fan amazes me with his ability to help me with multiple things. I have seen him in the past on other issues, and he has helped me greatly. I tend to be very stressed out and when I am with Dr. Fan, I feel my anxiety level drop. He is kind, understanding and extremely knowledgeable. Dr. Fan his assistant, Sarah, are excellent.

Very astute in diagnosis and treatment

2/8/2015

Scott B. says: I daresay, Dr. Fan has added years to my life. Very early in my chronic lymphocytic leukemia Dr. Fan intervened with a combination of herbs and acupuncture that has kept my cell counts stabilized since 2009–and at a juncture where it is too early for western medicine to intervene. From my vantage, Dr. Fan is most astute for both his skills of diagnosis and week-by-week treatment. Incidentally, for anyone with an interest, I recommend the book “Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine,” by Beinfield and Korngold.

Magical Doctor

1/23/2015

Deborah L. says: I have been going to Dr. Fan now for years when I have a medical issue I’m confident he can treat. When I experienced back issues years ago, I saw a orthopedic doctor, tried a chiropractor, physical therapy and pain medication. It was then I decided to give acupuncture a try. How fortunate that I found Dr. Fan. A very informed physician who was gentle and caring. After only a few treatments which included cupping, I was cured. To this day years later, I have not had any back issues. He is now treating me for acid reflux. I so recommend his treatment – just amazing.

Alternative medicine treatment for hypertension,insomnia and others

11/26/2014

May T. says: Dr Fan treated my hypertension and a myriad of other aches and pains. His knowledge of western and Chinese medicine blends a wholistic approach in his treatment. He is patient and gentle as a doctor. Determined to avoid getting on medication to treat hypertension, I started a diet and exercise regime but only to limited results. Only after I began accupuncture did my blood pressure begin to normalize. My husband also sees him for insomnia which has helped.

Dr. Fan has done wonders!

11/2/2014

Al P. says: Dr. Fan has done wonders for both my wife and me. My wife had lingering multiple small blood clots in her lower leg area. Her vascular surgeon had told she needed to be on blood thinners for the rest of her life. Plus, she would have to wait for the clots to reobsorb back into her blood. Inside two weeks of treatment from Dr. Fan, the clots were gone. After my knee replacement the swelling was not going down. I was told that at my age it would take a much longer time frame. Three weeks of visits to Dr. Fan the swelling was completely reversed. We both whole heartedly recommend Dr. Fan.

Larry A

9/12/2014

Larry A. says: I believe I am very fortunate to have found Dr. Fan. I could not be happier and I am a severe critic, so I believe Dr. Fan is tops. Dr. Fan took his time to explain the procedures before they happened and made sure I understood the message he was telling me. Thank you Dr. Fan

Feeling much better

9/4/2014

Phannee W. says: Having been a patient of Dr. Fan for a while, I am very grateful that he has cured most of my ailments and I would highly recommend him to other patients for acupuncture treatment..

Great Service and Very good doctor

9/2/2014

Maryam Z. says: I have really bad leg pain and I went to see Dr. Fan and explained him my situation. He took great interest in my leg pain and overall health issues and gave me a treatment plan which will help me to deal with my pain until its treated completely. He was not interested in money aspect of my treatment but was more keen to find a cure for my leg pain. I am very happy with his treatment strategy and after 3 sessions, I already to start feeling better.

Great!

8/13/2014

Gwen D. says: Dr. Fan is a wonderful doctor. He is interested in his patients, listens carefully to your issue, and proceeds with the treatment. I have seen Dr. Fan before and he was concerned about the symptoms I had experienced previously; making sure that was cleared up. His assistant is also very committed to the patients and practice. The office has a lovely peaceful aura, I felt good just walking in.

Good oriental medicine and doctor

7/23/2014

Eric T. says: I had went to see Dr. Fan because of pain and numbness in my hands, elbow, and wrist. The doctor at urgent care could not do anything but give my anti-inflammatory. But after seeing Dr. Fan and being treated with acupuncture and medicine he gave me, the symptoms have lighted and is decreasing daily. I would recommend that people with issues that most western medical doctors cannot treat to at least pay Dr. Fan a visit to see if anything can be done.

Five Star

4/27/2014

Al P. says: Both my wife and I have been seeing Dr. Fan for almost a year. He has been able to allow me to delay a total knee replacement for almost a year. And I am certain he will allow me to delay the operation until I am in a better position to have the operation on my terms. He also, in one treatment cleared my Carole tunnel node that was sticking out over an inch and stop the pain entirely. Dr. Fan has saved me from a repetitive operation on my wrist.

Professional and curteous

4/25/2014

Dr. Jerome W. says: Just started, so far everything is fine. I will have more to say when I an further into my treatment.

Made huge difference!

4/23/2014

Takeo Y. says: I had a great experience with Dr. Fan. Aggravated shoulder pain due to lifting heavy stuff on top of the old pain I had been suffering for a while was removed mostly after 3 sessions of acupuncture and cuppings. Will definitely go back to seek for his treatment if the needs arises.

Excited to finally experience alternative medicine

4/22/2014

Carmela & Brent B. says: For me and my husband, it was all positive energy and results. I can’t wait to complete the recommended treatment (2 times a week for 4 weeks), I know Dr. Fan will make a difference! My husband was satisfied after his first time treatment yesterday (4/21/14). After his 40 mins session, he felt like he slept for days and no pain all day.

Always awesome

2/7/2014

Diane H. says: Dr. Fan is wonderful. He has helped me overcome a paralyzed leg (skiing accident), increased the mobility of a surgically repaired shoulder, relieved migraines, and relieved vertigo induced by a concussion. He’s amazing!

Highly recommended!

1/16/2014

Meschelle L. says: I have been seeing Dr. Fan regularly for about 8 months. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs were new to me and I have greatly appreciated Dr. Fan’s knowledge, skills, and approach/demeanor. He and his office team are highly professional and organized as well. Dr. Fan has helped me tremendously with both benzodiazepine withdrawal and rheumatoid arthritis. I plan to make acupuncture and Chinese herbs a regular accompaniment to my healthcare from now on.

Outstanding

12/19/2013

Caron D. says: Dr. Fan has been successfully treating me for something western medicine hasn’t been able to achieve. He is very knowledgable, gentle, thorough and runs a very sanitary and organized office. I highly recommend Dr. Fan.

Outstanding !!!!

10/20/2013

Phil S. says: My wife and I have been going to Dr. Fan for years off and on for various treatments, proof is in the treatment when the pain associated with the condition, goes away. Dr. Fan is extremely helpful and knowledgeable about how to treat a problem. Very compassionate and takes the time to explain the his treatment plan.

Great Experience

10/19/2013

Gwen D. says: This was my first visit, I too was impressed with Dr. Fan’s compassion, understanding and patience with me. Both Dr. Fan and his assistant were wonderful. I am so glad that my friend recommended him.

The best doctor of Chinese medicine in the DC areas

10/9/2013

Jane C. says: I had shingles and the pain was awful. After a brief antivirus treatment my primary doctor at Kaiser Permanente could only give me strong pain killers (generic Percocet) to dull the pain. I was warned that the pain could last for months. So I turned to Dr. Fan for help. Within a week, my pain was gone under Dr. Fan’s care. I am very grateful to Dr. Fan!

Professional and attentive

9/25/2013

Dianna P. says: I have seen Dr. Fan only once so far, but can report that my experience was very good. I had acupuncture and felt better afterwards. I will continue to see him as I believe in the holistic approach to staying well.

More than accupuncture…

9/3/2013

Bill S. says: I have been seeing Dr. Fan for amost 2 years. The accupuncture has helped in so many ways. But, Dr. Fan will talk to you and get to know you. He has recommended teas, herbs and lifestyle changes that have been so benefitial to me. He is a wonderful wholistic healer. WRS

Chinese Medicine works

7/21/2013

Ruth B. says: Dr. Fan’s thoughtful analysis of our conditions each week help us with everything from swollen ankles to allergies to getting greater function in a hip replacement area to blood abnormalities. He and his office staff are pleasant, welcoming, and reassuring.

Dr. Fan is the best!

6/8/2013

Karen D. says: I feel very fortunate to have met Dr. Fan; he is very knowledgeable and skilled in his art. I sought Dr. Fan’s care for what a previous doctor diagnosed as facial nerve damage. Dr. Fan assessed the situation as chronic inflammation, and I have had a remarkable reversal. I couldn’t be more pleased with my transformation, and I highly recommend Dr. Fan. His staff is awesome too; thank you so much, Dr. Fan!

A Real Treasure

4/17/2013

George L. says: I have been a patient of Dr. Fan’s for some time now, and consider him to be a real treasure. Based on the effectiveness of his treatment, he is obviously a master acupuncturist and herbalist. He takes care to explain the nature of the treatment and to answer any questions related to it. I can wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Fan to anyone interested in acupuncture.

Great, compassionate doctor

3/30/2013

Anastasia C. says: Dr. Fan understood my problem and approached it with the utmost care. I’m very appreciative of the wonderful experience being his patient has been.

Mike B says:

3/5/2013

Michael B. says: I have seen Dr. Fan but one time, received accupuncture and something new to me, cupping. The cupping seems to have made my lower back pain, that I have been experiencing 24/7 for about four months, disappear. I have no fantasies about this being a forever thing, but I am optimistic that future visits will have nothing but positive effects on the many trouble spots of my body. Thank you Dr, Fan!

Keeps me balanced

3/1/2013

Jan Y. says: Dr. Fan keeps me balanced and when I have congestion he opens up my sinuses. Doesn’t matter what I go in for, he always seems to have a solution.

Great Dr of alternative medicine

12/22/2012

Sarah T. says: Sarah T. says: Dr Fan is very professional and extreamly knowledgeable about alternative and conventional medicine. He takes time to fully interview me each time I see him, regarding my symptoms and progress. Dr Fan fully understands herbal medicines and I trust his recommendations. I am seeing some success for my balance issues and expect to see additional progress. Thank you Dr Fan.

Thank You Dr. Fan !!

12/3/2012

William S. says: Both I and my wife have been seeing Dr. Fan for most of 2012. We are thoroughly satisfied with Dr. Fan’s kindness, awareness and manner in which he works with us. We could not think of a better environment in which to receive this kind of help. I have recommended Dr. Fan to others and, they are very well satisfied as well. Thank you Dr. Fan!!!

Richard & Arlene

10/16/2012

Arlene R. says: Dr. Fan was recommended to us and my husband went first. Richard came home relieved of his pain so he than he took me in to see Dr. Fan. I been having back and hip pain for 20 years and now after 3 sessions I can sleep on my right hip with no pain. The best customer service to both of us, he gives us great advice on health care. I don’t know why I waited so long to see him!! I highly recommend Dr. Fan and my husband and I always feel very relaxed while getting our treatment together and we love the music that just soothes our whole being!!!

Great !

5/29/2012

Bill S. says: WRS – I am a new patient. I have seen Dr. Fan twice. My initial evaluation was very informative. Dr. Fan discussed alternatives and diet. My first few days were much better. On the second visit, I was complaining of back pain. When I wakled to my car after the accupuncture treatment I realized… “hey!! no more pain!!”. I recommend McLean Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine and Dr. Yin Fan.

THE BEST DOCTOR IN ALEXANDRIA

4/17/2012

Simara C. says: I have severe back pain and I have to say that everytime I come to see Dr. Fan, he really takes care of me and makes the pain go away. I usually get spasms where sometimes I can’t even move and/or walk straight. He is always concerned, he gives very good advice and is extremely skilled and helpful. His technique is amazing and I never feel whenever he puts the needles in. The cupping is also amazing- which most of the time are done by his great assisstant, April. Dr. Fan along with April give the best customer service and the best treatment. His office is very pleasant, always clean and organized and I always feel very relaxed while I’m getting my treatment with the chinese music he has in every patient room. I feel very lucky to be his patient and I plan to keep going to him as long as I need to.

Wonderful!

3/19/2012

Susan G. says: I am very happy to have found Dr. Fan over a year ago. He is very patient, gentle and understanding and uses his knowledge to help with various issues, like neck and back pain. His assistant is also kind and skilled.

Sarah & Scott

2/8/2012

Sarah L. says: I was very impressed at Dr. Fan’s level of organization and ability to handle multiple clients. He conducted a thorough interview of both my husband and myself and provided treatment. Dr. Fan was very knowledgeable and the things he suggested made sense. He and his assistant are very compassionate and thoughtful individuals and we feel fortunate to have found him.

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TCMAAA Scholars Poke Holes in Australian Hinman’s “Acupuncture” Study

Original article source: http://tcmaaa.org/JAMAresponse.shtml

In 2009, NHMRC funded a research grant (No. 566783; $687,239) to Dr. Rana S Hinman and her team as “ Laser acupuncture in patients with chronic knee pain: a randomised placebo-controlled trial ”. The grant resulted in a publication in the October 2014 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) titled “ Acupuncture for Chronic Knee Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial ”. The authors (Hinman and her colleagues) concluded that “in patients older than 50 years with moderate or severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function. Our findings do not support acupuncture”. Following the publication, expert researchers called for explanations to study errors and inconsistencies. With unsatisfactory answers from Hinman and her colleagues, acupuncture organizations (23 organizations) filed three complaints with the University of Melbourne in May through July 2015, but in a letter dated 16 September 2015, the University denied all complaints without providing any reasonable supporting evidence and research documents…     Click here to read more …

Dr. Arthur Yin Fan published a series of articles poking the flaws in Hinman’s study:
► The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part I: Design and results interpretation
► The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part II: Zelen design and effectiveness dilutions
► The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part III: Sample size calculation

Article on Medical Acupuncture by Dr. Kehua Zhou:
► Acupuncture for Chronic Knee Pain: A Critical Appraisal of an Australian Randomized Controlled Trial

Response to JAMA by Dr. Qinhong Zhang et al:
► Acupuncture treatment for chronic knee pain: study by Hinman et al underestimates acupuncture efficacy

Commentary on Acupuncture in Medicine by White A and Cummings M.:
► Hinman’s Trial underestimated the acupuncture effectiveness

Article on The American Acupuncturist Summer 2015 by Jacob Godwin and Arthur Y Fan
► Evidence-Based Medicine Skills for Acupuncturists Part I: The Hinman Trial on Chronic Knee Pain…

Responses to JAMA:
► Responses to JAMA by Dr. Yong Ming Li, Lixing Lao, Hongjian He, etc.

Interview by Acupuncture Today:
► Chinese Doctors Poke Holes in Australian Study By Bill Reddy, LAc, Dipl. Ac.

Dr. Changzheng Gong’s article on International Journal of Clinical Acupuncture:
► Acupuncture Storms JAMA

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The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part II: Zelen design and effectiveness dilutions

The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part II: Zelen design and effectiveness dilutions .

Click to access S2095-4964(15)60172-8.pdf

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Acupuncture for Chronic Pain is effective -Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis says

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1357513

Acupuncture for Chronic Pain Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis

Andrew J. Vickers, DPhil; Angel M. Cronin, MS; Alexandra C. Maschino, BS; George Lewith, MD; Hugh MacPherson, PhD; Nadine E. Foster, DPhil; Karen J. Sherman, PhD; Claudia M. Witt, MD; Klaus Linde, MD ; for the Acupuncture Trialists’ Collaboration

Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(19):1444-1453. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654.

Background

Although acupuncture is widely used for chronic pain, there remains considerable controversy as to its value. We aimed to determine the effect size of acupuncture for four chronic pain conditions: back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, chronic headache, and shoulder pain.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review to identify randomized trials of acupuncture for chronic pain where allocation concealment was determined unambiguously to be adequate. Individual patient data meta-analyses were conducted using data from 29 of 31 eligible trials, with a total of 17,922 patients analyzed.

Results

In the primary analysis including all eligible trials, acupuncture was superior to both sham and no acupuncture control for each pain condition (all p<0.001). After exclusion of an outlying set of trials that strongly favored acupuncture, the effect sizes were similar across pain conditions. Patients receiving acupuncture had less pain, with scores 0.23 (95% C.I. 0.13, 0.33), 0.16 (95% C.I. 0.07, 0.25) and 0.15 (95% C.I. 0.07, 0.24) standard deviations lower than sham controls for back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, and chronic headache respectively; the effect sizes in comparison to no acupuncture controls were 0.55 (95% C.I. 0.51, 0.58), 0.57 (95% C.I. 0.50, 0.64) and 0.42 (95% C.I. 0.37, 0.46). These results were robust to a variety of sensitivity analyses, including those related to publication bias.

Conclusions

Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain and is therefore a reasonable referral option. Significant differences between true and sham acupuncture indicate that acupuncture is more than a placebo. However, these differences are relatively modest, suggesting that factors in addition to the specific effects of needling are important contributors to the therapeutic effects of acupuncture.

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How large are the nonspecific effects of acupuncture? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

How large are the nonspecific effects of acupuncture? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

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How large are the nonspecific effects of acupuncture? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/8/75

Klaus Linde^1*, Karin Niemann¹, Antonius Schneider¹ and Karin Meissner¹²

• *Corresponding author: Klaus Linde klaus.linde@lrz.tum.de

Author Affiliations

¹Institute of General Practice, Technische Universität München, Orleansstrasse 47, D-81667 Munich, Germany

²Institute of Medical Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Goethestrasse 31, D-80336 Munich, Germany

For all author emails, please log on.

BMC Medicine 2010, 8:75  doi:10.1186/1741-7015-8-75

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/8/75

Abstract

Background

While several recent large randomized trials found clinically relevant effects of acupuncture over no treatment or routine care, blinded trials comparing acupuncture to sham interventions often reported only minor or no differences. This raises the question whether (sham) acupuncture is associated with particularly potent nonspecific effects. We aimed to investigate the size of nonspecific effects associated with acupuncture interventions.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials and reference lists were searched up to April 2010 to identify randomized trials of acupuncture for any condition, including both sham and no acupuncture control groups. Data were extracted by one reviewer and verified by a second. Pooled standardized mean differences were calculated using a random effects model with the inverse variance method.

Results

Thirty-seven trials with a total of 5754 patients met the inclusion criteria. The included studies varied strongly regarding patients, interventions, outcome measures, methodological quality and effect sizes reported. Among the 32 trials reporting a continuous outcome measure, the random effects standardized mean difference between sham acupuncture and no acupuncture groups was -0.45 (95% confidence interval, -0.57, -0.34; I² = 54%; Egger’s test for funnel plot asymmetry, P= 0.25). Trials with larger effects of sham over no acupuncture reported smaller effects of acupuncture over sham intervention than trials with smaller nonspecific effects (β = -0.39, P = 0.029).

Conclusions

Sham acupuncture interventions are often associated with moderately large nonspecific effects which could make it difficult to detect small additional specific effects. Compared to inert placebo interventions, effects associated with sham acupuncture might be larger, which would have considerable implications for the design and interpretation of clinical trials.

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Acupuncture treatment for chronic knee pain: study by Hinman et al underestimates acupuncture efficacy

Acupuncture treatment for chronic knee pain: study by Hinman et al underestimates acupuncture efficacy.

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Rana Hinman’s Acupuncture Clinical Trial has too many methodology flaws (IV)-The sham laser acupuncture is not a valid negative control for acupuncture

Rana Hinman’s Acupuncture Clinical Trial has too many methodology flaws (IV)-The sham laser acupuncture is not a valid negative control for acupuncture.

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Rana Hinman’s Acupuncture Clinical Trial has too many methodology Flaws (III)-There is a crucial mistake in interpreting the Hypothesis testing – What means? if P>0.05.

Rana Hinman’s Acupuncture Clinical Trial has too many methodology Flaws (III)-There is a crucial mistake in interpreting the Hypothesis testing – What means? if P>0.05..

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The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part I: Design and results interpretation. J Integr Med 2015; 13 (2) : 65–68

The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part I: Design and results interpretation. J Integr Med 2015; 13 (2) : 65–68.

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Rana Hinman’s Acupuncture Clinical Trial has methodology flaws (IV)-The sham laser acupuncture is not a valid negative control for acupuncture

The sham laser acupuncture is not a valid negative control for acupuncture

In the October 2014 edition of JAMA, Dr. Hinman and her colleagues published an acupuncture clinical trial entitled “Acupuncture for Chronic Knee Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial” and concluded that “in patients older than 50 years with moderate or severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function. Our findings do not support acupuncture for these patients”(Hinman RS,et al. Acupuncture for chronic knee pain: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014; 312(13): 1313–1322.).

I strongly disagrees with such a conclusion, as there were serious flaws in the trial design, the statistical analysis of the data and in the interpretation of the results of this study.

I do agree acupuncture should have a real sham control in a vigorous RCT; however, in Hinman’s acupuncture RCT, the sham laser acupuncture is only fit to the laser acupuncture, not to real acupuncture. Because Acupuncture and Sham laser acupuncture, these two interventions do not have comparability in both characteristics and form (i.e., not matched). Furthermore, there was no blinding method performed between these two groups-both the patients and the administrators who performed the interventions knew the difference between the groups, such as needling acupuncture and sham laser acupuncture.

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Rana Hinman’s Acupuncture Clinical Trial has too many methodology Flaws (III)-There is a crucial mistake in interpreting the Hypothesis testing – What means? if P>0.05.

There is a crucial mistake in interpreting the Hypothesis testing – What means? if P>0.05.

Hinman said :”in……chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function (Dr. Fan notes: Her statement was based on P>0.05). Our findings do not support acupuncture for these patients”

From the perspective of hypothesis testing in Statistics, if acupuncture has better results and with significant difference over the primary control (no-treatment group), p<0.05, we can conclude that “acupuncture is effective”- no matter what the result get from the comparing to the secondary control, such as “sham laser acupuncture”, but Hinman intentionally does not report this effectiveness in her conclusion; if acupuncture has better results over “laser acupuncture” and “sham laser acupuncture”, without significant in statistics, p>0.05, we can conclude that “acupuncture is better than the laser acupuncture, and sham laser acupuncture, but need more studies to confirm”. We can’t conclude that “acupuncture is not effective” because that there are no significant difference in statistics between acupuncture and “laser acupuncture”, or between acupuncture and “sham acupuncture” does not mean there is no difference between these treatments clinically. Hinman et al mis-interpreter the results and violates the basic principle of Statistics.

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The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part I: Design and results interpretation. J Integr Med 2015; 13 (2) : 65–68

TCMAAA Fan AY Hinman Trial’s Flaws Part I-design and results interpretation

February 27, 2015 | Arthur Yin Fan | J Integr Med 2015; 13 (2) : 65–68

doi: 10.1016/S2095-4964(15)60170-4

ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT | PDF

In the October 2014 edition of JAMA, Dr. Hinman and her colleagues published an acupuncture clinical trial entitled “Acupuncture for Chronic Knee Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial” and concluded that “in patients older than 50 years with moderate or severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function. Our findings do not support acupuncture for these patients”. The author strongly disagrees with this conclusion, as there were serious flaws in the trial design, the statistical analysis of the data and in the interpretation of the results of this study.

Hinman’s acupuncture RCT has too many methodology flaws and misleading

As an independent researcher and practitioner in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine for thirty years, I strongly disagrees with Hinman’s conclusion, as there were serious flaws in the trial design, the statistical analysis of the data and in the interpretation of the results of this study. I published a commentary recently [Fan A. The methodology flaws in Hinman’s acupuncture clinical trial, Part I: Design and results interpretation. J Integr Med. 2015; 13(2): 65–68.]http://www.jcimjournal.com/articles/publishArticles/pdf/S2095-4964(15)60170-4.pdf

The major concerns are:

(1)There is a major mistake in the primary testing factor in this RCT: the laser acupuncture should be the primary testing factor, not the needle acupuncture;

(2)The interpretation of the results was misleading;

(3)The “under-dosed” acupuncture treatments diluted the potential real effectiveness of acupuncture;

(4)Laser acupuncture and acupuncture would be effective in Hinman’s RCT, if the statistics were re-analyzed after re-adjusting the data.

(5)It is improper to test two different testing factors in one RCT with so small sample size;

(6)Laser acupuncture is not one kind of acupuncture, the author intentionally mixes it with acupuncture;

(7)Acupuncture did have significant effectiveness (p<0.05 in week 12), compared to the control (this is a primary control). However, the author intentionally does not interpreter this important result into the conclusion, instead, she concludes acupuncture is not effective and says her findings do not support acupuncture for patients.

I feel the author, somehow, intentionally misleads readers by testing acupuncture as a major intervention in this RCT-There was no significance between the positive control and the naïve control (i.e., acupuncture and control groups). Therefore, we can only conclude that the positive control, acupuncture was under-dosed or the study was otherwise flawed. That the positive control shows significance is a basic sign of the success of a clinical trial. From this perspective, Hinman’s trial was a failed clinical trial for laser acupuncture. As it would be unethical to publish an astonishing article, with a group of almost scrapped data and confusing logic, that misleads the readers, including the general public, medical society and policy makers, the researchers should have re-adjusted or re-designed their study instead of publishing it.

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