A 1997 study conducted by the University of Manchester appeared in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice Volume 39, Issue 2, February 1998, Pages 115-121.
The study followed 46 diabetic patients with chronic painful peripheral neuropathy and studied the long term effects of acupuncture. 63% of the patients were already following the standard medical treatment for painful neuropathy. Patients received 6 treatments of acupuncture over 10 weeks. By the end of the study, 77% showed significant improvement in their symptoms. After the study, the patients were followed for another year, during which 67% were able to stop or reduce their medications significantly. 21% noted that their symptoms had cleared completely.