Canada
Chiropractic Profession Calls For Stroke Consortium To Substantiate Its Data
On Neck Adjustment
The Canadian Chiropractic Association has called on members of the Canadian
Stroke Consortium to substantiate its data on the incidence of adverse effects
associated with neck adjustment which the consortium displayed in a poster at
a recent international stroke conference.
“The consortium continues to release alarmist data from an incomplete and
unpublished survey without opening itself to the standard practice of peer evaluation
of its research design and conclusions,” said CCA spokesperson, Dr. Stan
Gorchynski. “There is good reason to question how the consortium is arriving
at its projected numbers since they are wildly out of line with the published
research on the subject.”
The CCA noted two very recent studies one published in the Canadian Medical
Association Journal and the other in the medical journal Stroke within the past
year – both of which confirm that serious adverse affects such as stroke
or stroke-like symptoms are very rare.
Review of the published studies to date indicate an estimate of somewhere between
one and two cases per million adjustments and one in 5.6 million neck adjustments.
“Patient safety always comes first,” said CCA president, Dr. Mireille
Duranleau. “The overwhelming majority of credible published studies to
date support spinal adjustive therapy as practiced by chiropractors to be safe,
effective, drug-free and non-invasive health care. Appendix of research references
available.”
The CCA cautions the public and the medical community that the consortium’s
data is gathered from an incomplete survey based only on a questionnaire with
no methodology for confirming whether the cases of stroke reported are in fact
associated with neck adjustment.
There are a great many risk factors for stroke including blood clotting problems,
hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol, use of birth control pills, heart disease,
trauma, most sports and even roller coaster rides or coughing, said the CCA.
A patient’s health history and activities have to be very carefully examined
in order to determine the most probable cause of a stroke.
“Conjecture is not research and it is a mistake to publicize uncorroborated
data that misleads the public and health professionals,” said Gorchynski.
“This data is beginning to cause unnecessary confusion.”
The CCA advised that it is investigating potential breaches in ethical conduct
related to the Consortium’s activities that may be brought to the attention
of the provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, the regulatory bodies
for the medical profession.
“Collaboration, not confrontation, is in the public’s best interest,”
said Duranleau. “The chiropractic profession welcomes all soundly designed
research studies that are published and peer-reviewed so that the credibility
of their methodology and design can be evaluated. We are calling on the Stroke
Consortium to be measured by the same standards. Posters, commentaries and news
releases do not qualify.”
Japan
Chiropractic Colleges Sponsor New Foundation for Spinal Research
The Japanese Foundation for Spinal Research, a nonprofit organization, has been
established recently to support and disseminate the results of research pertaining
to the human spine and related tissues in health and disease.
The objectives of the new foundation are:
Several colleges have been involved including the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic
College, Nichibei Chiropractic College, Southern California University of Health
Sciences and Cleveland Chiropractic College.
The foundation also houses the Japanese Chiropractic Research Archives Collection,
which is a collection of research articles and related resources pertaining
to the human spine and related tissues in health and disease. Most articles
are available in Japanese, some are available in abstract form in English and
Japanese, and in some cases the full article is available in both languages.
Senegal
Life University Project Begins to Show Rewards
Several years’ work by officials from Life University and Life International
Inc., in Senegal is on the verge of introducing chiropractic into that West
African nation.
Dr. Medhat Alattar, the University’s dean of International Affairs, and
Dr. Rodney Handly Jr., president of Life International, have laid the groundwork
through several visits and meetings with government officials since 1997 for
a major push in Senegal.
A recent visit included a meeting with President Maitre Abdoulaye Wade, and
the next phase of work includes a planned visit to the campus by the first lady,
Mrs. Viviane Wade.
According to Dr. Alattar, the Senegal project has a four-pronged approach, with
each under way simultaneously:
“All the people we spoke to were very appreciative of the fact that we’re
trying work within the Senegalese system rather than try to force a preconceived
plan on them,” Dr. Alattar explained.
One major hurdle for sending mobile units was a law banning foreign health care
practitioners from setting up shop in the country. A loophole, however, cleared
the way.
“We stressed that we’re not there to open for-profit practices, but
to participate in pioneering the incorporation of the most needed new chiropractic
services into the Senegalese health care system, which is considered the gateway
into West Africa,” Dr. Alattar said.
In addition to the chiropractic efforts, the sports authorities are considering
sending coaches to Life’s Dynamic Essentials of Lasting Peak Performance
training seminars.
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