Risks of acupuncture range from stray needles to pneumothorax, finds study
BMJ 2012; 345 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e6060 (Published 07 September 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2012;345:e6060- Zosia Kmietowicz
- 1London
About 100 patients a year in England and Wales experience adverse events after acupuncture delivered by the NHS, ranging from having needles left on their body to pneumothorax, a study has found.1
Although most incidents aren’t harmful, it is likely that the total figure is an underestimate because of under-reporting, say the researchers. They recommend a number of practices that can improve the safety of acupuncture.
The researchers searched the database of the national reporting and learning system run …
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