What Do We Know About Some Popular Methods of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the level of evidence on the effectiveness and safety of 14 complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods legalized in Turkey. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the Cochrane Systematic Review Database for acupuncture, apitherapy, hypnotherapy, leech therapy, homeopathy, cupping therapy, chiropractic, prolotherapy, osteopathy, maggot therapy, mesotherapy, music therapy, reflexology, ozone therapy. After screening, 287 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Evidence quality was classified as ‘high/moderate/low’. AMSTAR-2 was used to evaluate the quality of systematic reviews. This study was registered to PROSPERO (CRD42019127509). Results: There are 16 low (LQE) and four moderate-quality evidence (MQE) of effectivity for various conditions were found for acupuncture, while it has no effectivity on 13 conditions. There are six LQE and one MQE on its safety. One study found high-quality evidence of the effectivity of apitherapy concluded that honey accelerates the healing of burn wounds. Three LQE and two MQE quality evidence found for some conditions, and five studies have shown no effectivity. Thirteen LQE and three MQE showed the effectiveness of music therapy, while one study reported it as ineffective. Four studies found LQE showing hypnotherapy might be effective in some conditions, and one study found it was ineffective. Regarding osteopathy, one study found MQE, and one study found LQE. One study reported LQE for the effectiveness of chiropractic. The only evidence for the effectivity of homeopathy is of low quality and four studies have shown that it is not effective. There is a LQE on its safety. Conclusions: Since there is insufficient evidence, 14 CAM methods legalised in Turkey shoud not be used in daily practice. Future researches aiming to produce high-quality evidence are needed to be able to make benefit-risk assessments scientifically.