Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38577775›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of technology assessment in health care2024

Health technology assessment in traditional and complementary medicine: a scoping review of international activity and examples of acupuncture.

Dan-Dan Ai, Bin-Yan Sui, Cheng-A-Xin Duan, Qian Xu, Kun Zhao

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of technology assessment in health care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Regulatory and HTA framework for herbal medicines in Indonesia.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Dan-Dan AiDepartment of Health Technology Assessment, Beijing Health Economic Association, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1397-8042
Bin-Yan SuiDepartment of Health Technology Assessment, Beijing Health Economic Association, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6541-5452
Cheng-A-Xin DuanDepartment of Health Technology Assessment, Beijing Health Economic Association, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0106-7827
Qian XuDepartment of Health Technology Assessment, Beijing Health Economic Association, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2491-5243
Kun ZhaoDepartment of Health Technology Assessment, China National Health Development Research Center, Beijing, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3483-8904

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTraditional therapies are crucial in maintaining and improving human well-being. China's healthcare policymakers are attempting to use health technology assessment (HTA) as a decision-making supportive tool. The value assessment framework for Chinese patent medicine (CPM) has been developed and is being adopted and validated widely by research institutions. Subsequently, the healthcare decision-makers particularly hanker for the value framework of traditional non-pharmacological therapies.

methodsTo construct a practical value framework for traditional non-pharmacological therapies, a scoping review methodology was adopted to identify the evaluation domains and obstacles. A search, screening, and analysis process was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Evidence was retrieved from scientific databases and HTA agencies' websites.

resultsThe search strategy identified 5 guidelines records and 17 acupuncture HTA reports. By synthesizing the valuable reports of CPM and acupuncture evaluation in representative countries, this study found that Mainland China was promoting the comprehensive value assessment of CPM, whereas the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, the United States, and Malaysia had carried out the HTA evaluation of acupuncture for various conditions among which chronic pain was the most common. UK and Singapore applied the HTA results to support acupuncture reimbursement decisions. Three domains, including safety, effectiveness, and economy, were commonly adopted. The identified biggest challenge of evaluating traditional non-pharmacological therapies is the scarce high-quality clinical evidence.

conclusionsThis study identified value domains and issues of traditional therapies, and pointed out future research implications, to promote the development value framework of traditional therapies.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyTechnology Assessment, BiomedicalComplementary TherapiesCost-Benefit AnalysisDecision MakingHumansMedicine, Chinese Traditionalacupuncturehealth technology assessmentscoping reviewtraditional and complementary medicinevalue evaluation

Identifiers

PMID38577775
PMCPMC11570047

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.