Acupuncture

Germany has been subsidizing acupuncture treatments for patients with migraine headache since 2001. More than 2 million people have been treated so far. And according to this paper, it works. People who get acupuncture have significantly fewer headaches. But now results of a follow up study have been published. In a double-blind study, headache sufferes were split into 3 groups: those receiving acupuncture treatment, those who received sham acupuncture (the needles were inserted in the wrong place where there should be no effect, according to acupuncture theory), and those who were put on a waiting list and got no treatment. The results showed that both groups who received acupuncture (real and sham) reported fewer headaches than the waiting list group. The positive effect of the "real" acupuncture was exactly the same as the sham needle-sticking. (On the other hand, the negative effects were not the same: 10 people (7%) treated with "real" acupuncture reported that the treatment itself triggered a migrain attack, vs 2 (2.5%) in the sham group.)
The authors speculate that the most important thing that people need in order to feel better is to feel that they are being treated, with lots of one-on-one interaction and care. If they have to pay for it as well and the treatment takes time and effort then that also makes a difference in the outcome.
Kids need TLC more than Panadol when they are sick, and nothing heals a booboo better than a kiss from mommy or daddy. And Star Wars bandaids are better then boring beige ones.
I guess adults are just big kids. But I'd be pissed if it was my tax money that was funding it.