In spite of its long history, the efficacy of acupuncture for several indications has not. been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt. Acupuncture is no exception. Unfortunately, one RCT is rarely sufficient for drawing firm conclusions.
Independent replications are essential.
Where several trials for one condition exist, they rarely have precisely the same result. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the totality of all trials on one given topic. The best way of achieving this is to perform a systematic review. This type of evaluative approach can be viewed as the backbone of evidence-based medicine. It should also be applied to acupuncture.