A German study has assessed the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for hayfever and allergic rhinitis, the former being the most common type of allergic rhinitis. A total of 981 patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups: one received usual care alone, whilst the second received usual care plus ten sessions of acupuncture.
Quality of life, and direct and indirect costs, were all assessed at baseline and again after three months. The study concluded that acupuncture in addition to routine care was both beneficial and cost-effective.
(Cost-effectiveness of Acupuncture in Women and Men with Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomised Controlled Study in Usual Care. American Journal of Epidemiology, 1 March 2009.)