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Despite significant patient interest in nonpharmacologic depression treatments, few strong studies have examined acupuncture. In a new study taking place in 27 primary-care clinics, researchers randomized 755 depressed patients in a 1:2:2 ratio to 12 weeks of usual care only or usual care plus acupuncture or plus humanistic counseling. Participants had moderately severe depression that typically was recurrent, with early age at onset.
Almost two thirds of patients were already taking antidepressants. Uptake of active treatments was good, with 88% attending at least one acupuncture session and 76% receiving counseling at least once. Both add-on acupuncture and counseling produced significantly greater depression improvement on the Patient Hea…