By taking the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) as an example, in this study the reports of acupuncture RCTs are analyzed and the problems are found out as follows:1) true acupuncture is less than optimal; 2) sham acupuncture is not inert; 3) participating acupuncturists are less experienced; 4) conclusions are generalized; 5) trial object is ambiguous; and 6) main outcomes don't match therapeutic regimen. In combination with the characteristics of acupuncture therapy and in response to the aforementioned problems the authors put forward the following suggestions:1) clearly putting forward research objectives in the design stage; 2) choosing appropriate control intervention; 3) setting up criteria for acupuncturist participation; 4) optimizing acupuncture therapeutic regimen; 5) determining clinical outcomes that can be solved by intervention so as to ensure rationalization of outcomes; and 6) defining trial conclusion. The clinical research methods of acupuncture should be stepwise explored and developed so as to enable them to more tightly accord with the characteristics of acupuncture and promote a sound development of acupuncture discipline.

acupuncture  /  clinical trial  /  true acupuncture is less than optimal  /  sham acupuncture is not inert  /  JAMA