The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Is acupuncture safe for children?

    Researchers at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, reviewed the evidence.

    First, the details.

    • 28 reports were included in the review.

    And, the results.

    • 279 adverse events were identified.
    • 25 were serious.
      • 12 cases of thumb deformity
      • 5 infections
      • 1 case each of cardiac rupture, pneumothorax, nerve impairment, subarachnoid hemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, hemoptysis, reversible coma, and overnight hospitalization
    • 1 was moderate (infection)
    • 253 were mild including pain, bruising, bleeding, and worsening of symptoms.
    • The risk of a mild adverse event was about 12%.

    The bottom line?

    The authors concluded, “Many of the serious advsere events might have been caused by substandard practice. Our results support those from adult studies, which have found that acupuncture is safe when performed by appropriately trained practitioners.”

    12/6/11 20:54 JR

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