Similar statements have been made by modern Taoist philosopher George Ohsawa, the father of Macrobiotics. He expressly states that oriental medicine cannot be separated from its philosophical underpinnings. While rejecting most of the claims of traditional acupuncturists, Dr. Morris Fishbein and other Western physicians are interested in some apparent, limited results mostly in the area of anesthetic acupuncture. Several theories have been proposed that attempt to partially explain the psychological and physiological effects of acupuncture from a Western scientific basis. While Dr. Chang himself accepts the metaphysical, Taoist basis for acupuncture, he also mentions some non-religious theories.
Studies also suggest that part of acupuncture's effectiveness is psychosomatic.
It should be noted, however, that some reputable medical doctors reject the Taoist theories of acupuncture and have developed physiological theories that may justify its practice. Christians who are considering acupuncture treatment should note that even the Western physicians who do accept a limited use of acupuncture as a pain killer or anesthetic almost always see it as a temporary treatment for symptoms and not a cure. At the very least, Christians should avoid practitioners who claim to manipulate invisible energy, or base their practice on Taoist dualism or other Chinese metaphysical assumptions. These speculations are the foundation for traditional acupuncture theory and are incompatible with both known science and the Christian view of the human body and the universe. A complete guide to New Age medicine from a Christian perspective, this book contains a 34 page chapter on acupuncture.