Melbourne ER flirts with acupuncture, trials test needles over painkillers

A practitioner applies acupuncture needles in this undated file photograph. — AFP pic

First Published: Wednesday, 14 Oct 2026 12:20 PM MYT

MELBOURNE, Oct 14 — An Australian research project is testing whether acupuncture can be integrated into hospital emergency departments as a non-drug option for patients experiencing acute pain, reported Xinhua.

The Personalised add-on Acupuncture service at Northern Hospital Emergency Department for Acute Pain (Panda) explores how registered acupuncturists can work alongside emergency department clinicians to support patient comfort, improve care experiences and potentially reduce time spent in hospital, according to a statement released on Tuesday by Australia’s RMIT University.

Unlike clinical trials that assess treatment effectiveness under controlled conditions, the project, led by RMIT and Northern Health, a public health service provider in Australia’s Melbourne, focuses on how acupuncture can be delivered effectively in a busy emergency department, the statement said.

Early findings of the Panda team show strong interest in non-drug pain management options, with more than 90 per cent of surveyed emergency department patients saying they would consider acupuncture if it helped them avoid or reduce medication use.

Meanwhile, 90 per cent of surveyed healthcare workers wanted non-drug options for their patients, the team found. The project has adopted the panda as its symbolic mascot, reflecting its goal of bringing relief and reassurance to patients in distress. — Bernama-Xinhua