As soon as you begin searching for modern clinical trials on acupuncture or herbal medicine,
it is not difficult to find a tendency - bigger scale of trials make tricky outcomes.

We are talking about one of the most ancient medicine. Modern model of trials are basically for defining the statistical chance of good results from "random" choices. These weird combination eventually creates the spree of conflicting results.

Most of astonishing reports are case based, thrown to the world by excited practitioners including western medical doctors with so unusual outcomes in their mind. The bigger scale trials become, the more meager differences between control groups and acupuncture/herbal medicine groups, though.
Inappropriately standardized protocol, researchers' poor skill level, and mostly, wrong understanding on ancient approach are all possble factor for poor results.

However, it's good to take a glance at good published outcomes in a few disease groups here.
As far as you have a chance to meet a reliable OM practitioner who can CONSISTENTLY reproduce incredible results, you may not stop searching for hope. 

                       Cancer

                       Joints/Spine Disease

                       Stroke/High Blood Pressure

                       Diabetes Mellitus

                       Post-surgical Recovery

                       Sports Performance

                       Male & Female Infertility