Biophysics - Energy Medicine

How do we define energy medicine as being effective? Often with acupuncture the things we are working on are more subtle than in western medicine, so how do we measure it? Honestly I think the best way to explain that acupuncture is effective is that fact that it is still thriving 2,000 years after its birth. That's a pretty long time to keep something around if it doesn't work. Not all acupuncturists are as effective as others, how do we measure that? In how many of our patients come back? In how they report feeling? Sometimes there are lab tests that we can point to. Our patient comes in anemic, we give them herbs and they no longer are. But sometimes its not all that cut and dry.
Human intent is so important as healers. One of my teachers says that 95% of healing is in the intent and belief of it. I'm not entirely sure its that high of a percentage, but I do think it is really important. I can really tell when someone believes in their ability as they put the needle it. Hesitancy of the practitioner creates a whole different experience.
Kirlian photography is so cool- especially the fact that acupuncture points appear in the photographs. Some of our teachers insist that we measure to find the points with extreme exactness, while others encourage us to feel for them. This photography makes me believe even more strongly in the latter method. The points are there, if a certain type of photography can see them, we can certainly feel them.