RESUMO
There is no criteria of placebo acupuncture method and no suitable method for all kinds of acupuncture research currently. In this paper, the methods and theories of placebo acupuncture were collected in recent 10 years at home and abroad. The analysis was conducted in the aspects of the premise of placebo acupuncture design, the common methods and their advantages and disadvantages, the application of various placebo acupuncture methods and the controversy on placebo acupuncture. It is required to further improve the design of placebo acupuncture control, explore the key questions of it and specify the criteria of its method so as to lay the foundation for the establishment of scientific and rational placebo acupuncture control in acupuncture research.