Alhambra acupuncturist’s ‘bee sting therapy’ investigated

An Alhambra acupuncturist’s license is on the line after state medical regulators alleged he was “grossly negligent” when using bees to sting patients as part of a medical treatment, an attorney said.

For the past four years, Xin Sheng “Tom” Zhou has used bee sting therapy to treat diseases and chronic pain, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and migraines.

The use of honeybee products, such as bee venom and honey, to treat an assortment of ailments is not uncommon. At issue in Zhou’s case is his use of a bee stinger to inject the venom into patients. 

As noted by Sharon Hill over at Doubtful News,

Bee sting therapy is not approved by US FDA. Besides the fact that it has not been shown to be useful treatment for what this practitioner claims, it could be deadly to those allergic to bee venom. The clinic was cited to be negligent because it did not have an allergic reaction kit, epinephrine or over-the-counter medication for patients who experience severe adverse reactions to bee stings.

There are now thousands of people who administer BVT to themselves or others, mostly in private homes by unlicensed practitioners. BVT is not prescribed by a doctor, yet it is used like any other drug, given in regular doses at regular intervals. There is no scientific evidence to support its use, and yet thousands of multiple sclerosis sufferers and others tout its effectiveness.

Alhambra acupuncturist’s ‘bee sting therapy’ investigated