Researchers report "We don't know." Film at 11.

A recent Science Daily headline seems unambiguous:
Popular Supplements to Combat Joint Pain Do Not Work, Study Finds
Researchers, we're told, concluded that  two supplements, glucosamine and chondroitin, taken to relieve joint pain, do not work.
Reading on, however,we get less clarity. The story shows how the supplements are commonly recommended and even prescribed by physicians. Some patients lobby their insurance providers for reimbursement for the costs of these products.

The authors say that results from existing trials about the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin are conflicting. A large scale review of studies was therefore needed to determine whether or not the supplements work.

Hmm. The preliminary review of the data shows inconclusive results. Granted, the researchers do say that there appears to be no discernible effect of the supplements on the joints themselves. The findings also show that the pain reduction is not statistically different from placebo. 

Despite this finding, some patients are convinced that these preparations are beneficial, say the authors. They suggest this might be because of the natural course of osteoarthritis or the placebo effect.

The story's real point, and the one that should have been reflected in the headline, is that there is not sufficient clinical data to warrant insurance reimbursements for these supplements. So, a better title might be:
Don't Reimburse for Popular Supplements, Researchers Recommend

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BMJ-British Medical Journal. "Popular Supplements to Combat Joint Pain Do Not Work, Study Finds." ScienceDaily 17 September 2010. 18 September 2010 .