INFECTIONS SPREAD BY ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES ARE UNDER-DIAGNOSED WORLDWIDE, ACCORDING TO DOCTORS .
Hepatitis B, flesh-eating diease, joint destruction, paralysis, multi-organ failure: These are just some of the serious problems that a group of doctors associated with use of acupuncture needles recently in the British Medical Journal. One professor "believes the link with acupuncture needles often goes unrecognized because of the long incubation period of some of the transmitted infections," the BBC reported. "The authors call for clinicians to 'have a high index of suspicion' for infections that might be transmitted by needles used in acupuncture and to 'alert health authorities about clusters of cases.' " Stricter regulation of global practices are required, the authors argue; the practice is unregulated in the U.K. They would like to see disposable needles and aseptic techniques employed. The medical director of the British Association of Medical Acupuncturists said that infections associated with the practice were "rare," but the authors of the BMJ piece argue it is a risky practice because "needles are inserted deep beneath the skin, and can introduce infection."
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