Research group acupuncture and Chinese medicine

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The Research Group Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (FACM) eV is a German scientific society.

It was founded in 1997 by orthopedist Albrecht Molsberger and internist Gabriele Böwing in Düsseldorf and, with around 2,300 members, is one of the largest medical associations in Germany. Over 97 percent of doctors are specialists, most of them orthopedists , followed by general practitioners and internists . The FACM eV has for distribution, scientific recognition and the recognition of acupuncture as a cash performance in chronic knee osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain helped.

Social goals

In the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine , FACM promotes the exchange of experience and scientific cooperation among doctors and societies at national and international level, quality assurance, advanced and advanced training (seminars), scientific research projects and information for experts and the general public. The acupuncture and Chinese medicine research group is headed by Albrecht Molsberger (1st chairman, orthopedics), Franz-Josef Zumbé (general medicine) and Gabriele Böwing (internal medicine). The scientific advisory board includes: M. Agelink (Klinikum Herford), H.-R. Casser (Pain Center Mainz), J. Krämer (Orthopedics, Ruhr University Bochum), K.-P. Schulitz (University of Düsseldorf), P. Wehling (Universities of Chapelhill and Düsseldorf).

science

FACM has designed and conducted several clinical acupuncture studies. The first controlled study was published that for chronic low back pain does not require (i) conventional orthopedic therapy alone with a (ii) combination of conventional orthopedic therapy with acupuncture at Chinese points and a (iii) combination of conventional orthopedic therapy with acupuncture at all Chinese points compared. This showed that Chinese acupuncture in combination with standard orthopedic therapy is clearly superior to the other two groups. Members of the FACM also conducted a three-arm study on the effectiveness of acupuncture in chronic shoulder pain. For the first time, a study methodology was developed that allowed a controlled multi-center acupuncture study in the outpatient area with the involvement of many resident doctors.

These experiences made a major contribution to the conception of the GERAC studies. FACM was involved in the GERAC studies with A. Molsberger (executive committee), G. Böwing (development of acupuncture for headache) and 250 resident doctors who had completed their training in the acupuncture research group.

The GERAC studies (2002–2007) (german acupuncture trials) are the world's largest prospective and randomized studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture compared to a guideline-oriented standard therapy for the most economically relevant indications of chronic low back pain, chronic pain in osteoarthritis of the knee , chronic tension headache and chronic migraine . The superiority of acupuncture over conventional standard therapy for chronic low back pain and osteoarthritis of the knee led to the recognition of acupuncture as a health insurance benefit from January 1, 2007, in accordance with the resolution of the Federal Joint Committee.

Continuing education and training

The FACM promotes medical training in the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. The affiliated training institution has trained 4,500 doctors, many of them with the additional qualification of acupuncture. The focus of acupuncture training is the integration of acupuncture and Chinese medicine into the workflow of western medical practice. Today a large part of the approximately 10 million acupuncture treatments in Germany each year are carried out by doctors who have been trained by the acupuncture research group.

public relation

The FACM takes a public position on acupuncture and Chinese medicine. The often poor quality of acupuncture studies and the poor quality of training were highlighted. Members of the FACM have examined the need of patients for acupuncture in Germany and commented on study results in the specialist and lay press.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ AF Molsberger, J. Mau, DB Pawelec, J. Winkler: Does acupuncture improve the orthopedic management of chronic low back pain - a randomized, blinded, controlled trial with 3 months follow up. In: Pain. 99 (3), Oct 2002, pp. 579-587.
  2. ^ A. Molsberger, J. Mau, H. Gotthardt, T. Schneider, A. Drabik: Designing an acupuncture study to meet evidence-based medical criteria -Methodological considerations for logistic design and development of treatment interventions arising from the German randomized control acpuncture trial on chronic shoulder pain (GRASP). In: Eur J Med Res. 9 (8), Aug 31, 2004, pp. 405-411.
  3. ↑ HG Endres, M. Zenz, C. Schaub, A. Molsberger, M. Haake, K. Streitberger, G. Skipka, C. Maier: German Acupuncture Trials (gerac) address problems of methodology associated with acupuncture studies. In: pain. 19 (3), Jun 2005, pp. 201-204, 206, 208-210.
  4. ^ AF Molsberger, K. Streitberger, J. Kraemer, CS Brittinger, S. Witte, G. Boewing, M. Haake: Designing an acupuncture study: II. The nationwide, randomized, controlled German acupuncture trials on low-back pain and gonarthrosis . In: J Altern Complement Med. 12 (8), Oct 2006, pp. 733-742.
  5. ↑ HP Scharf, U. Mansmann, K. Streitberger, S. Witte, J. Krämer, C. Maier, HJ Trampisch, N. Victor: Acupuncture and knee osteoarthritis: a three-armed randomized trial. In: Annals of Internal Medicine . 145 (1), Jul 4, 2006, pp. 12-20.
  6. ↑ M. Haake, HH Müller, C. Schade-Brittinger, HD Basler, H. Schäfer, C. Maier, HG Endres, HJ Trampisch, A. Molsberger: German Acupuncture Trials (GERAC) for chronic low back pain: randomized, multicenter , blinded, parallel-group trial with 3 groups. In: Archives of Internal Medicine . 167 (17), Sep 24, 2007, pp. 1892-1898.
  7. Jump up ↑ HC Diener, K. Kronfeld, G. Boewing, M. Lungenhausen, C. Maier, A. Molsberger, M. Tegenthoff, HJ Trampisch, M. Zenz, R. Meinert: GERAC Migraine Study Group. Efficacy of acupuncture for the prophylaxis of migraine: a multicentre randomized controlled clinical trial. In: The Lancet Neurology . 5 (4), Apr 2006, pp. 310-316.
  8. ↑ HG Endres, G. Böwing, HC Diener, S. Lange, C. Maier, A. Molsberger, M. Zenz, AJ Vickers, M. Tegenthoff: Acupuncture for tension-type headache: a multicentre, sham-controlled, patient- and observer-blinded, randomized trial. In: J Headache Pain. Oct 23, 2007.
  9. ^ Resolution of the Federal Joint Committee on an amendment to the Guideline Methods of Contractual Medical Care ... April 18, 2006.
  10. ^ A. Molsberger: GERAC Trials in Germany - Overview, results and impact. Keynote lecture at the 10 Years Post-NIH Consensus Conference, Nov 8-11. 2007. University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
  11. ^ A. Molsberger, G. Bowing: Acupuncture for pain in locomotive disorders. Critical analysis of clinical studies with respect to the quality of acupuncture in particular. In: pain. 11 (1), Feb 25, 1997, pp. 24-29.
  12. ^ A. Molsberger, G. Böwing, D. Hermes: Acupuncture and public opinion (acupuncture and public opinion). In: Deutsches Ärzteblatt. 88, 9, 1991, pp. A-651.
  13. ↑ Reimbursement requested for acupuncture for headaches. In: ÄrzteZeitung online. Feb 6, 2009.