Pinning Down the Evidence: Acupuncture for Depression

For those seeking alternatives to the pharmacopoeia of modern psychiatry, acupuncture has long offered a tempting, if prickly, solution. A new evidence map has attempted to separate point from placebo by analysing a staggering 374 studies, including randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, spanning decades of research into Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

On the surface, the results appear promising. Nearly all systematic reviews—97 per cent, to be precise—reported findings favouring the ancient practice. When used as an adjunctive therapy alongside standard antidepressants, acupuncture appears to reduce symptom severity and assist with comorbidities such as anxiety and sleep disturbances. It seems the needle might indeed move the dial on mental health.

However, one must not mistake quantity for quality. The authors note that the methodological rigour of these studies is often the Achilles’ heel of the field. Three-quarters of the systematic reviews were rated as ‘very low’ quality, and over 80 per cent of the clinical trials had an unclear risk of bias, often relying on small sample sizes of fewer than 100 participants. Consequently, clinical guidelines remain cautious, generally recommending acupuncture only as a third-line, complementary option. Until large-scale, high-quality trials can sharpen the data, acupuncture remains a useful ally in the war on depression, but not yet the commander-in-chief.