Dr Noertjojo responds

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 53, No. 2, March 2011, Page 67 Letters
By: Kukuh Noertjojo, MD,

Thank you for your comments, which I agree with. What we did in our article on chronic pain was simply searching (of level 1 or 2 evidence), appraising it, and summarizing it. As such, it doesn’t mean that we are endorsing it, or that WorkSafeBC is reimbursing for it.

Thank you for your comments, which I agree with. What we did in our article on chronic pain was simply searching (of level 1 or 2 evidence), appraising it, and summarizing it. As such, it doesn’t mean that we are endorsing it, or that WorkSafeBC is reimbursing for it.

On most of these alternative medicine modalities, I am in agreement with you, not only in the efficacy/effectiveness of the treatment modalities such as therapeutic touch, but also in the problem with systematic reviews or meta-analysis in general (for example, the systematic review on acupuncture published in Cochrane Library). Hence, in doing our work, usually we try to put it into context, and perhaps most importantly, we critically appraise these primary or secondary studies. As you found, most of our work is posted online.

We did write a lengthier article on this topic, but unfortunately we ran out of space and had to cut it down significantly (a longer summary on this topic is available online at www.worksafebc.com/health_care_providers/Assets/PDF/poster-presentations/ChronicPainTreatmentsEvidence.pdf). 

As you will see from this longer summary, even though we may find “positive evidence,” it does not necessarily mean that we approve of, en­dorse, or reimburse for the treatment.
—Kukuh Noertjojo, MD
Evidence-based Practice Group
WorkSafeBC

Kukuh Noertjojo, MD,. Dr Noertjojo responds. BCMJ, Vol. 53, No. 2, March, 2011, Page(s) 67 - Letters.


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