In a report published in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Journals Library, the researchers from the University of York provided significant evidence to prove that acupuncture is not simply a placebo effect. While many approach acupuncture with uncertainty and skepticism, there’s now substantial evidence to prove that it is not a sham.
Professor MacPherson, from the University of York’s Department of Health Sciences, says, “There has been a question mark for many years over whether policy and decision makers should or should not provide wider access to acupuncture. Our aim was to bring together data from high-quality clinical trials and provide a robust evidence base that will help reduce this uncertainty and support commissioners and health professionals in making informed decisions backed up with research.”
Acupuncture Offers Pain Relief
In 29 clinical trials, researchers divided 18,000 participants diagnosed with chronic pain into two test groups. One test group received acupuncture treatment in addition to standard medical care. The other group received only standard medical care.
The results indicated that the addition of acupuncture reduced the number of headaches and migraine attacks. Furthermore, it reduced the severity of neck and lower back pain. It also lessened the effects of osteoarthritis, so the patients were less reliant on anti-inflammatory drugs to manage their pain.
Acupuncture Improves Mood Levels
The research team not only focused on treating chronic pain but also depression. Involving 755 patients, the study compared the effectiveness of acupuncture and counseling against antidepressants. Like the previous trial, the results proved that alternative methods noticeably reduced the severity of the patients’ depression. After only one treatment, patients experienced fewer, if any, episodes of depression for up to a year. This is exciting news, considering antidepressants don’t work well for many struggling with depression.
Acupuncture Is Cost Effective
Professor MacPherson adds that this alternative treatment is more cost-effective, and it also “reduces over-reliance on drugs that can sometimes result in unwanted side effects.” Relying on prescription drugs can also incur more costs, further supporting his claim that it’s more cost-effective. Using the cost-effective metric from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the value for money equates to less than the threshold of £20,000 cost per quality of life year. There is an increase in acupuncture as an alternative to standard medicine and physiotherapy because of its affordable costs and benefits. In the UK, nearly four million acupuncture treatments happen every year.
Emerging Evidence, Biological Mechanisms, and Clinical Guidance
More recent research has expanded scientific understanding of how acupuncture produces measurable clinical effects beyond placebo. Neuroimaging and neurochemical studies show that acupuncture stimulates the release of endogenous opioids—such as endorphins—as well as serotonin and norepinephrine, which are key regulators of pain perception and mood.
Large-scale systematic reviews continue to strengthen the evidence base. A 2020 Cochrane Review concluded that acupuncture provides meaningful and sustained improvement for chronic low back pain and tension-type headaches when compared with usual care alone. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally recognizes acupuncture as an evidence-based treatment for more than 40 medical conditions, including migraines, knee osteoarthritis, chronic pain syndromes, and postoperative nausea.
Clinical guidelines are also evolving. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) now recommends acupuncture for chronic primary pain and chronic tension-type headaches, citing favorable patient outcomes and a low risk of adverse effects. According to a recent study, when performed by qualified practitioners, acupuncture is considered safe, with side effects generally limited to mild bruising or short-term soreness.
As healthcare systems increasingly prioritize non-pharmacological treatments to reduce opioid reliance, acupuncture is gaining recognition as a clinically supported, cost-effective, and integrative therapy rather than a placebo-based intervention.
