How safe is acupuncture and what kind of research is available on its efficacy?

Acupuncture is extremely safe, and has among the lowest risks for complications of any medical treatment, including conventional medicine.  In its 1997 consensus report on acupuncture, the National Institutes of Health stated:

"The data in support of acupuncture are as strong as those for many accepted Western medical therapies. One of the advantages of acupuncture is that the incidence of adverse effects is substantially lower than that of many drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions."

Acupuncturists must pass a rigorous National Board Exam and Clean Needle Technique exam in order to become licensed, and must renew their license every two years thereafter.  Acupuncture needles are pre-sterilized and individually packaged.  They are one-time-use only, and are safely disposed of as biohazards following each treatment.

If you are interested in learning more about the efficacy of acupuncture and the research being done to enhance the current state of knowledge regarding acupuncture please check out Evidence Based Acupuncture.