okay. so here's one: a few weeks ago, this specialist is telling us all about headaches and migraines and such. and about drugs, etc., etc. but then it gets a little interesting - he's telling us about this 'experimental' injection of drug into muscles at various points around the neck - new, but promising. and so i ask him if they've done any trials against 'sham' injections as 'placebo' (because i'm interested in acupuncture). he doesn't think so (but that's okay with him - he brought this to lecture for us anyhow). of course, this is a bit unusual, to hear specialists prattering on about non-evidence based stuff. so i ask about acupuncture - what's the evidence (since i know that 'needling' - much like sham injections - is sometimes used too). and he's all "that's not accepted" - total shut-down, keep your hokey CAM-crap away from me kind of attitude. funny - there is evidence for acupuncture's efficacy in treating pain, yet he wants nothing to do with it, but add some drug to a needle that is held in doctor's hand, and lack of any evidence notwithstanding, rah, rah, rah!
take-home message: some facts aren't welcome here!