Acupuncture 'boosts IVF chances'

Another example of how truth in packaging is unimportant to the media.

Look at the title of the article.

Now here is its content:

"Acupuncture may increase the success rates of fertility treatment, according to a study."

Note "may."

At least the AP article included "may" in its title and acknowledged that "The surprising finding is far from proven." (BTW, this does not make the AP reliable. It is not.)

And:

"Studies have been mixed, with some showing benefits, and some even showing a reduced chance of conceiving.

The latest research, from the VU University in Amsterdam and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, combined the results of seven trials involving 1,366 women in an attempt to provide a clearer picture of the benefits.

They found that, looking at all the research together, women who underwent acupuncture were 65% more likely to have a successful embryo transfer compared with those who underwent a "sham" version of the treatment, or no extra treatment at all...

However, many of the studies were conducted in Chinese clinics which had a lower pregnancy rate than the average European clinic.

When only the three studies reaching this average - success in 28% of IVF cycles - were included, a different picture emerged.

Here, there was no evidence of any extra benefit from acupuncture, suggesting that offering the treatment in Europe might not offer as great, or any, increases in success rates.

In addition, a leading researcher into alternative treatments, Professor Edzard Ernst, from the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth said he was dubious about the reliability of acupuncture trials from China.

He said: 'On the face of it, these results sound fantastic. I would, however, be very cautious as much of the observed effect could be due to a placebo response.'"

Sad when literacy becomes a dangerous activity.

Just like this "data," the weight loss and physical activity literature is fraught with lies and misinformation.

The con remains on.

Caveat reader.