Q&A with Quinton Ng: Assessing the Value of Acupuncture for Cancer-Related Pain

Cancer patients and survivors often experience debilitating pain associated with the disease and its treatments. Ding Quan “Quinton” Ng watched his father battle cancer and experience severe pain every day, as all the medicines he tried failed to relieve his symptoms.

Now a doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine, Ng received a 2023 PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Value Assessment-Health Outcomes Research for his work using real-world data to assess the value of acupuncture for treating cancer-related pain.

While evidence exists showing the potential benefits of acupuncture, Ng said health care coverage for acupuncture is not consistent and many physicians are still hesitant about its use. His research aims to use claims data to show the economic and health benefits of acupuncture for cancer-related pain.

Watch this video to learn about Ng and his research.