RESEARCHUPDATE.MCCOYPRESS.NET

Why I Joined the IFCO

2011-11-17T17:05:37Z

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I got involved in chiropractic politics about 20 years ago right out of school. Frustrated about something that was going on politically I contacted various organizations to see what they were doing and I wasn’t too impressed. This experience led to two decades of serving in one capacity or another in chiropractic political organizations on the state, national and international level.

While the importance of political involvement has always been crucial to our profession’s survival, at this point in time I think the stakes are higher than they have ever been. Our profession faces daunting challenges not only from the outside, but perhaps even more seriously, from within. The continued slide of chiropractic into the allopathic model and the ongoing dilution of chiropractic principles seem to have gained tremendous momentum.

If you look around at all the various chiropractic organizations you’ll find that they all seem to have become bleary eyed at the notion of unity within the profession and more specifically unity around getting or keeping third party reimbursement. This has become their combined mission. This is fundamentally antithetical to the principles and tenets of the chiropractic profession. In fact, for anyone who is trying to teach their practice members that it is their responsibility to take care of their health, such actions are a direct contradiction.

While I have known some of its members and Directors for many years, it was with this in mind that I researched the IFCO and started talking in more detail with them about the problems facing our profession. As I did this it became pretty clear that they were not operating in contradiction to their values or that of the foundational principles of the profession. They are focused and they are clear about what chiropractic is and is not. And they have a plan to insure that traditional, conservative chiropractic survives beyond our lifetimes. That’s why I joined and that’s why I urge you to do the same.

As always I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
matthewmccoy@comcast.net
McCoy Press Journals
www.mccoypress.com

Taking Our Profession Back

2011-10-31T21:37:33Z

What a month this has been. I had the pleasure of speaking at the New York Chiropractic Council (NYCC) Convention, The International Research & Philosophy Symposium (IRAPS) at Sherman and attended New Beginnings.

What is so fascinating is how each of these venues brought with it a slightly different view and perspective of what’s happening in the chiropractic profession from the people attending.

The New York Chiropractic Council (NYCC) is struggling right now with the decision to merge with the larger New York State Chiropractic Association (NYSCA). There are honest, sincere and significant concerns on the part of subluxation centered chiropractors in New York about this decision. And why shouldn’t there be? Merging two distinct organizations during a time in this profession when the Chiropractic Cartel is repeatedly and relentlessly attacking the subluxation centered community while at the same time removing any semblance of us as a drugless profession doesn’t make much sense to me. How about you just work together on the things you do agree upon.

As I told our colleagues in New York – Please don’t forget the story of the Frog and the Scorpion.

Philosophy, science and subluxation didn’t have any problem getting along during IRAPS at Sherman. In fact, quite the opposite was true and I’m told it was the largest gathering at IRAPS since its inception. Another positive sign that a sleeping giant has awakened from its slumber of the past 20 years (at least). I don’t think there was a single presentation over the two days that did not have to do with subluxation. What other chiropractic research conference has those bragging rights? The scholarly discussion of the current state of research, philosophy and politics within chiropractic was on display and its heartening to know we have so many dedicated to this scholarly activity

Then there was New Beginnings this past weekend in New Jersey. Braving rain, snow and driving rain were several hundred chiropractors dedicated passionately to the concept of subluxation and loving service to humanity. The message from the platform was clear: There is a new sheriff in town and the Chiropractic Cartel is on notice that there is zero tolerance for the nonsense that has gone on for so many years.

As I said to the attendees at Sherman IRAPS – it’s no longer Chicken Little running around saying the sky is falling. The sky FELL and it fell on top of our heads! While I’m a little frustrated that it had to come to this I am encouraged that we are seeing a rising up of leadership within the subluxation centered community. We are seeing a number of once disparate groups and factions come together to form working groups focused on the dismantling of the Cartel. This needs to continue and we need each and every chiropractor that wants the chiropractic message delivered pure and unsullied to step up and join the movement to take our profession back.

What can you do?

1. Join the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations
2. Donate to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation
3. Sign the Petition for Quality & Integrity in Chiropractic Education
4. Tell others

Those will get you started.

As always I look forward to your feedback, comments and concerns.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
matthewmccoy@comcast.net
Editor
McCoy Press Journals
www.mccoypress.com

Chiropractors Lash Out in Massive Campaign Against Accrediting Agency

2011-09-17T18:15:50Z

Have You Written Your Letter to the CCE?

2011-09-12T20:23:54Z

Just in case you have not already written your letter to the CCE regarding its upcoming hearing with the United States Federal Government, here is a sample letter below that you can use.

E-mail your letter to: aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov

Put the following in the Subject Line:
Written Comments re: Council on Chiropractic Education

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality & Integrity
Office of Postsecondary Education
United States Department of Education
1990 K Street, NW
Room 8060
Washington, DC 20006

RE: United States Department of Education (USDE) recognition of the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) as a programmatic and institutional accreditor for institutions conferring the Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Dear Committee Members,

By way of this letter I am expressing my concerns regarding apparent violations of the Criteria for Recognition by the above stated agency found in 34 CFR Part 602.

It is my understanding that there exist conflicts of interest among the board members, commissioners, and evaluation team members of the CCE. While they are supposed to represent the profession, nominees are vetted by an internal committee of the Council who use ambiguous criteria and then a decision is made by the people who already sit on the Council. This fosters in-breeding and the election of people who represent only one faction of the chiropractic profession. CCE should provide for an open, democratic, transparent selection process which involves all stakeholders, including educational institutions, faculty, students, and consumers. This is in apparent violation of 602.15(a)(6).

In the area of Program Review it is my understanding that agencies regulated by the NACIQI must maintain a systematic program of review that demonstrates that its standards are adequate to evaluate the quality of the education or training provided by the institutions and programs it accredits and relevant to the educational or training needs of students. The CCE uses the terms “primary care physician” and “chiropractic primary care physician” without defining them in their own Standards document. More to the point, most procedures provided by a “primary care physician” are not within the scope of chiropractic practice in any jurisdiction. This is in apparent violation of 602.16(a)(1)(i).

Finally, the Criteria for Recognition state that recognized agencies must demonstrate that their standards are relevant to the educational or training needs of students. In that regard, the CCE Standards do not reflect the central nature of vertebral subluxation to chiropractic management, or state and federal laws in regards to its central role in the practice of chiropractic. This is in apparent violation of 602.21(a)

I respectfully request that the Committee recommend deferral of a decision on the continuation of recognition of CCE as an accreditor for 12 months and require the CCE to apply principles of good governance including transparency, accountability, and meaningful participation for all factions within chiropractic.

Sincerely,

CLICK HERE FOR WORD DOCUMENT VERSION

An Important Message from Jeanne Ohm

2011-09-12T14:05:06Z

As a family chiropractor, I know that you hold your rights to practice as such dearly. So do I. That is why I became very concerned when I read the new CCE standards. I was very concerned that these changes would have lasting ramifications on our scope of practice.

I know the parents in my community come to us because they are looking for the profound and distinctive service we offer. They are delighted with our natural approach to well-being for their entire families. Our adjustment is above and beyond any care they have received and they appreciate our exceptional care.

Basically, the CCE has eliminated two essential terms unique to chiropractic: subluxation and "without the use of drugs and surgery" in the new standards for chiropractic colleges. You can read these standards here. This of course means that even the best colleges that now address family care will be required to fill their curriculum with more ancillary requirements and deviate from core chiropractic care. Graduates will be at a greater deficit. This will affect our scope of practice and the public's ability to receive quality, drugless chiropractic. Our unique identity as "separate and distinct" will be will be lost.

In December, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) will be holding its open meeting and reviewing the CCE. As a profession, we have the opportunity to respond..but our window of time is short. Letters of concern must be received by the Board of Education by September 15th, which is next Thursday. I am asking you to act now, right now.

There are three ways to take action:

1- Doctor input:

Please write a personalized letter. This will take all of 10 minutes. That's a very short time to protect your future.

Once written, e-mail it immedietly to this address: aslrecordsmanager@ed.gov

with the subject line: Written Comments re Council on Chiropractic Education.

You can find sample letters here: http://jeanneohm.blogspot.com/2011/09/sample-cce-letters.html

2- Patient input:

Have your patients sign this prepared petition. The USDOE is very concerned with consumer input, so this step is as important as your letter.

http://33dcs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CCE-Lay-People-Complaint-Final.pdf

and fax it to: 805-481-5281

or scan and e-mail it to: steve_tullius@yahoo.com

3- Student input:

Please distribute this petition amongst students. Student rights are a direct concern of the USDOE.

http://33dcs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CCE-Student-Petition-Final.pdf

Students please write personal letters following the samples here.

If you are not yet convinced that you need to act now, or you are looking for more resources to understand why..visit these links and read up!

The CCE has ignored the profession's input to their new guidelines...

"In September 2010, the CCE Task Force on Accreditation Standards released a second draft to the public for comments. At the latest meeting on January 14th, the CCE met and adopted new educational standards that will become effective in January of next year. Dr. Welsh, who attended the public proceedings, reports that the CCE President announced that the Council had received two complaints. No details were provided. Council members were reminded of the need for complete confidentiality. In October 2010, it was reported by Welsh that the CCE had received approximately 3000 submissions from the profession."

Breaking News - CCE Ignores Input from Profession on Standards, January 25, 2011

http://vertebralsubluxation.mccoypress.net/2011/01/25/breaking-news---cce-ignores-input-from-profession-on-standards.aspx

Dr. Chris Kent, President of the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation calls us to action:

"It is now up to the profession to ensure that the student of today graduates with a strong philosophical base and a keen awareness of the profound potential of chiropractic's contribution to human health. The fundamental issues are simple. Are we a profession with a clearly defined mission, or are we a profession simply seeking some niche which offers access to a slice of the health care pie? Are we driven by principles or politics? Is our political position defined by our mission statement, or do we grovel to get whatever crumbs the insurance industry tosses our way? Do we have an identity defined by our purpose, or are we chameleons who change our colors to blend into the existing environment?"

A new direction for the CCE? Dynamic Chiropractic November 18, 2010, Vol. 28, Issue 24

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=55021

Dr. Joe Betz, ICA Board Member, reveals the ramifications on our practices:

"The assault on our profession from within has reached unprecedented levels. If the silent majority does not speak up and do so very quickly, the chiropractic profession as we know it will cease to exist. You can no longer go into your practice and just adjust your patients and go home. You need to work to protect what we have inherited. It is our responsibility."

CCE "Cartel" is at it Again- American Journal of Clinical Chiropractic http://www.chiropractic-biophysics.com/clinical_chiropractic/2010/9/15/cce-cartel-is-at-it-again.html

Dr. James Edwards, past ACA chairman, calls out the minority in our profession:

"This left-wing fringe of the profession, through revision to CCE standards, is now attempting to abolish all references to the subluxation, willing to designate our degree as DCM (Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine), and willing to delete all language that states chiropractic is a drugless and non-surgical profession. Are you paying attention? You should be because, to a great degree, CCE has the authority and power to define who you are and what you do. So, why am I so upset? Well, just look at CCE's proposed changes:

Adding the words or their equivalent to DC degree programs, thus authorizing the DCM degree;
Deleting every reference to the word subluxation; and
Deleting the "without the use of drugs and surgery" provision."

Dynamic Chiropractic - October 21, 2010, Vol. 28, Issue 22

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=54917

and labels CCE immoral

"This incestuous selection process has failed to produce CCE board and council members who are willing and able to represent the mainstream positions of the majority of doctors of chiropractic, the majority of chiropractic colleges, and both national chiropractic membership organizations. And until CCE changes its electoral process, it will remain an organization without any moral authority to speak for the chiropractic profession."

Exposing the CCE Charade, Dynamic Chiropractic - April 9, 2011, Vol. 29, Issue

http://www.cce-usa.org/uploads/2010-01_Council_MANUAL.pdf

Dr. Gerry Clum, former member of the CCE, reveals the CCE biasness:

"Think about the appointment process to the Council - people get nominated, they are vetted by a committee of the Council on ambiguous criteria, they are put on a ballot that allows preferences to come into play, then a decision is made by the people who already sit on the Council. The opportunity for in-breeding, and election of people who represent a given orientation in the profession versus another, is obvious."

An open letter to the profession: www.chiro.org/docs/cce_revision_clum.pdf

And finally....

Dr. Denardis, one of the individuals hearing the case for the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity at the last reaccreditation hearing stated,

"Battles over turf, battles over philosophy, maybe battles over personal ambition, but divisions of every kind. And some of this, maybe most of it, is a consequence of, at least as I see it, a monopoly control of a profession which has led to the establishment of a virtual cartel..."

If you get the chance...read the entire transcript of the last hearing here...

http://www.mccoypress.net/dialogues/docs/2011-1111_cce.pdf

but most importantly....ACT NOW!!

Do it to protect your practice....

Do it to protect the profession......

Do it to protect the children....

Many, many blessings to you and yours,
Jeanne Ohm, DC

Institute of Medicine Releases Vaccine Report

2011-08-27T22:09:04Z

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If you are like me your inbox was flooded the other day when the Institute of Medicine released their review of the literature regarding adverse reactions and vaccines. The most controversial issue of course being the relationship between autism and vaccines. According to the IOM the evidence favors a rejection of a causal relationship between MMR vaccine and autism.

A few things before we go any further. First, I am not going to rely on what some blogger reports regarding the IOM study. Second, I’m not going to rely on the IOM’s interpretation of the data. Third – neither should you.

The report is over 600 pages long and if we really want to know what it says we better read it otherwise its like reading an abstract of a research paper and thinking that what’s stated in the abstract is an accurate interpretation of what’s in the actual paper itself.

What’s that you say? You don’t have the time nor the talent to sit down and digest and then critically evaluate a 600 page research paper? OK, then don’t but please make sure you support those who will and those who will actually do something about it once they do.

Take 2 minutes right now and send a donation to the National Vaccine Information Center and let Barbara Loe Fisher and her team know that you support what she is doing and the sacrifices they have made. The NVIC is currently conducting a study comparing health outcomes in vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations. If this is the kind of research you think needs to be done – send them a message with your wallet.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
matthewmccoy@comcast.net
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

In Memoriam - Donald Harrison DC, Ph.D, MSE, FICA

2011-08-04T14:30:35Z

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It is with a sense of great sadness that I write about the passing of one of the greatest chiropractors, researchers and leaders I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, Donald Harrison, DC, PhD, MSE, FICA.

Dr. Don Harrison received his DC degree from Western States Chiropractic College in 1979, an M.S.E. (Mechanical Engineering) in 1997 and a Ph.D in Mathematics in 1998. He had private practices in California and Wyoming from 1979-1993. He originated CBP® Technique in 1980 and was the author of three CBP® text books, a CBP® x-ray workbook, and more than 50 articles in peer-reviewed indexed journals. Don served on the ICA Board of Directors for four years and, among many awards from ICA, was honored as ICA’s Chiropractor of the Year in 2006.

I first met Dr. Harrison a couple of years into practice when he was teaching a module for the Diplomate in Applied Chiropractic Sciences program for the ICA. The module was a 15 hour course on biomechanics and little did I know what I was in for that fateful Saturday morning.

As Dr. Harrison began to lecture and introduce us to the concepts of rotation, translation and deformation I couldn’t help but experience a mix of emotions. I was angry because I didn’t understand how I got through 4 years of chiropractic college and had never been exposed to real biomechanics. I was embarrassed at this at the same time because I didn’t have the sense to know that what I had been exposed to was in many cases completely false. At the same time I was also thrilled because I had already become increasingly frustrated in practice having been taught that chiropractic adjustments changed spines but I was not seeing this on the post films I was taking.

Don and I had dinner together that night and for those of you who knew Don I’m sure all have your own “first time” story and mine was no less life changing. I left dinner a changed person because I could certainly not go back to practicing the way I had been and having gotten an earful about the politics of this profession I could no longer sit back and keep my mouth shut. You can imagine my poor staff’s response when I walked into the office Monday morning and explained to them that we were going to be doing things differently. Those in the political realm of chiropractic who often wish I would keep quiet can thank Don for inspiring me in that realm as well.

I suppose there are lots of people like Don who have lived and changed people’s lives but there aren’t too many in this profession that did it on the scale that he did. For me he embodied the notion of the “last chiropractor” and would any of us do what is right and not expedient in that situation. Here was a man who went back to school to get degrees in engineering and mathematics so that he could advance what many think is a simple concept: that there is an ideal normal spinal model. Imagine someone having to spend their life – indeed giving their life - to prove what is in every anatomy textbook that’s ever been written.

What also struck me about Don was how he saw no threat to the philosophy of chiropractic from science. Quite the opposite. Having grown up in chiropractic from a young age I’ve had occasion to hear the philosophy of chiropractic from some of the greats. I have to say that few if any could hold a candle to Don and what made it better for someone as analytical as me was that he did it based on fact, not belief, faith or dogma.

Beyond the voluminous amount of research he was responsible for providing to the profession (more than any other technique) Don got heavily involved in politics. He knew that all the research in the world would not move subluxation centered chiropractic forward unless we were engaged in the politics of this profession. Don experienced the controlling cartel within chiropractic first hand. The profession’s own research journals rejected his work and caused him to go outside the profession to publish. Once he did, suddenly these same chiropractic journal editors were angry at him for that as well. You see, Don and the work that he represents is antithetical to the Chiropractic Cartel’s master plan because if there is an ideal normal spine and there is evidence that it can be restored then this throws a monkey wrench into the Cartel’s focus on short term, musculoskeletal pain treatment. It certainly causes the owners of chiropractic managed care companies who base their payment schemes on short term pain relief to lose sleep at night.

The last time I saw Don in person we spent the day together in Atlanta and it was then that he and I compared notes on the Cartel. He even had a sketch of the diagram that he went on to publish just a few months ago. Everyone has been talking about it since.

Something that I don’t think many people realize about Don was his ability to rise above the petty arguments that engulf chiropractic – especially in regards to the technique wars. In fact, he did so to an extreme extent. Putting aside selfishness and ego he spearheaded perhaps the most thorough review of chiropractic literature ever conducted with his involvement in the ICA’s most recent practice guidelines. Putting technique wars aside he made sure that everything was included. When I spoke with him about this on the phone as he was in the middle of it he remarked that it wasn’t about him – it was about the profession. Indeed. I’m sure only his family knows just how much he gave to this profession.

Don will be greatly missed.

Donations to the CBP Non-Profit have been requested instead of flowers. CBP Nonprofit, INC. is run by a 13 member Board and it has official Non-profit status with the IRS. Your donations are tax deductable. Please direct all such donations to:

CBP Non-Profit

c/o CBP Seminars, Inc.
4940 N. Hawk Wing Lane
Eagle, ID 83616

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Are You Serious About Subluxation?

2011-07-18T21:02:03Z

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The concept of vertebral subluxation has always been a contentious issue for those who want to do away with the term and the clinical practice associated with it. In the past couple of years we’ve seen the Dark Side of the profession engage in increased attacks on the faction of the profession that considers the analysis and correction of vertebral subluxation to be its Raison d'être.

In response, the subluxation based community has certainly been talking more to each other about the issues. Unfortunately much of it has been in the form of statements of righteous indignation on Facebook.

Well, here is your opportunity to actually participate in something meaningful regarding the future of this profession and the role of subluxation within it.

Sherman College of Chiropractic is holding its 8th annual International Research and Philosophy Symposium (IRAPS) on October 22-23, 2011 on the Sherman campus.

The Dark Side has exploited the subluxation based community’s lack of organization and factionization for a long time. It’s time to put a stop to that and begin to gather to discuss the serious issues facing our “brand” of chiropractic.

The only question is: Will you be there?

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Subluxation NOT Spoken There...

2011-06-29T15:34:17Z

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Over the past year or so the chiropractic profession has shed its drugless character, subluxation has been removed from accreditation standards, philosophy of chiropractic has been removed from educational programs, chiropractic care of children has been attacked and the systematic marginalization of the traditional, conservative faction of chiropractic has been accomplished by the profession’s controlling cartel.

Yet there is still the majority of subluxation centered, principled chiropractors who are sitting on the sidelines and watching while not doing a damn thing. Well if you needed one more piece of evidence that the sky really is falling to goad you into action – here it is:

The prevalence of the term subluxation in North American English-Language Doctor of Chiropractic Programs
http://chiromt.com/content/19/1/14/abstract
Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2011, 19:14 doi:10.1186/2045-709X-19-14
Timothy A Mirtz (kngnumitor@aol.com)
Stephen M Perle (perle@bridgeport.edu

This paper is not worth reading for any scholarly content beyond the simple review of the schools’ curriculums and how often the term subluxation is used in their course catalogs. Dr. Christopher Kent said it best: “The paper is a perfect example of straw man arguments, special pleading, appeal to authority, and statements presented as facts without substantiation.”

I have already included this paper in my courses as it is a great case study in the use of logical fallacies - particularly the straw man fallacy, and the liberal use of unreferenced opinions presented as facts.

Beyond the simple math on the number of times subluxation is used in our schools, the paper is simply another anti-subluxation rant by the usual suspects - Perle and Mirtz. That Perle is proud that his own institution ranks as one of the lowest users of the term is good information for potential students thinking about going to the University of Bridgeport to study chiropractic – clearly chiropractic is not spoken there and they are better off choosing a school where it is spoken. In fact, I think the Tables reporting which schools use the term and which don’t should be used as recruiting posters for the admissions departments of real chiropractic schools. The only problem is that even at those schools where the term is used it isn’t used all that much and mostly only in technique classes.

So for all you subluxation chasers out there that needed another call to arms to get you to actually DO SOMETHING to save this profession from the controlling cartel – here it is. But beyond reading it, tsk, tsking, letting out a loud harrrummph! and “clicking “Like” on Facebook, what are you actually going to DO about it? Let me know as I’d love to hear it.

In case you needed some ideas about what to DO: You could support chiropractic research:

Subscribe to Subluxation Based Research Journals

Support the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation

Click Here for a Power Point on the Paper

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Where is the Outrage?

2011-06-07T22:37:25Z

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Drugs are in, injectables are in, minor surgery is in, MUA is in.

Drugless is out, subluxation is out, hugs are out, prepay is out. The Chiropractic Cartel has full control of the profession.

A chiropractor colleague of mine recently put the situation facing this profession very succinctly. He said in response to all the above:

“Where is the outrage? Where is the anger? They have trampled all over the principles of this profession and we stand by and watch. What will it take to get our people to take action?”

Sure, there have been the fleeting Facebook postings, name calling and obscenities hurled at the New Mexico folks, Winterstein and others followed by animated gesticulations and a scowling harrumph! But that’s the end of it. And the Dark Side is counting on this continued inaction by those who profess to guard the Sacred Trust.

What we need is action. Here’s 10 things you can do to save this profession:

Get appointed to your state board
Go to your state board meetings – even if you are not on the board
Join a state association – one that supports your subluxation based values. If your state doesn’t have one - start one.
Join a national/international chiropractic association that is not in bed with the Chiropractic Cartel – here’s one
Support chiropractic research. How?
It’s a moral crime to support your own destruction – stop writing checks to people and companies in chiropractic that support the Chiropractic Cartel.
Read. Ignorance is not bliss. You need to be always connecting dots as to what is going on this profession and who the players are.
When you join your state and national associations don’t just write a check and assume everything is fine. Attend the board meetings. Show up. Speak out. Get involved.
Double your practice. You can’t help anyone, least of all this profession, if you are poor. Success leaves clues. Plenty of chiropractors are doing well despite the economy. Find them and do what they do.
Help chiropractic students and recent graduates. The average chiropractic student is graduating with $200,000.00 in student loan debt. They can’t get a loan to open up a practice. This is a problem for everyone. It is not sustainable. Set up a scholarship for students at your alma mater to lessen their loan burden. Hire an associate. Don’t need an associate? See Number 9.

Don’t like this list? Come up with your own but do something and do it now! The seriousness of the situation cannot be overstated.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
matthewmccoy@comcast.net
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Aussie Board Says No to Hugs

2011-05-16T19:30:00Z

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If I didn’t have a copy of the letter and someone told me this I would laugh and say whose leg are you trying to pull?

But there it is in black and white. The chiropractic regulatory board in Australia says you should not hug your patients because, among other reasons, it’s non-therapeutic. No, I’m really not kidding – read it for yourself here.

What is left to happen in this profession? What version of Bizarro World have we not entered? We have Advanced Chiropractors, we have drugs and injections. We have the removal of subluxation from standards and/or are not allowed to use the term. Philosophy is out of the curriculum.

And now - no hugs. Not therapeutic. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

I reflected for a couple of moments this afternoon about my years in practice and what would have happened every single day if I had not given the dozens of hugs that I did. Never mind that, what would have happened to me if my patients had not given me all the hugs I got every day from them?!

And don’t anyone dare send me some stupid e-mail about professional boundaries. I run a malpractice risk purchasing group and have defended chiropractors for 20 years on boundary issues. The problem isn’t the hugging.

OMG. I need a hug.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
matthewmccoy@comcast.net
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Subluxation Spoken Here

2011-05-12T18:52:00Z

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It’s fairly obvious that there is bias in the media. I doubt anyone would deny it. Its actually become amusing for me to compare how the Wall Street Journal reports on world events versus The New York Times. I get a kick out of watching the big three cable news channels to see how they spin world events.

Bias is everywhere, including within the chiropractic media, and it takes the skills involved in critical thinking to sort through all of it and try and find some truth.

There was a very interesting paper recently published in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association titled: Quantitative corpus-based analysis of the chiropractic literature – a pilot study.

Translation: they searched the JCCA for word usage. The paper is an interesting read in general but of most interest to me was how many times the word subluxation showed up. In reviewing 98 papers published from 2005 to 2008 it had a collective prevalence of just 0.04%!

The authors wrote:

“In 12 instances, the word subluxation(s) collocated with the word vertebral. The other common collocation (7 instances) was with the word chiropractic. There was only one instance of the phrase vertebral Subluxation complex. In approximately 40% of instances, the phraseology implied that the meaning of the term Subluxation was apparent from context or common knowledge. In other instances, there was explicit reference to a specific definition or the need for a definition. Interestingly, in approximately 25% of instances, the reference to Subluxation was emotive, politicized and even explicitly disparaging of the term.”

It should not come as much of a surprise though. Wenban, some time back reported that subluxation was used in less than 6% of the papers published in all of the chiropractic journals over a 10 year period! Of course that was prior to my entrance into editing research journals.

Since my professional career in chiropractic has focused on the clinical, academic and research aspects of subluxation, I find this fascinating and it is clearly evidence of bias - if not professional birth control. While I have not done a similar study of the journals we’ve been publishing I would bet that subluxation appears in nearly every single one of them.

Subluxation is spoken here – why aren’t you a subscriber?

http://vertebralsubluxationresearch.health.officelive.com/subscribe.aspx

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Can't We All Just Get Along?

2011-05-01T20:27:00Z

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I’ve been watching with fascination over the past several months as one state after another addresses the drug issue in chiropractic, how our national and state associations respond and how individuals on all sides respond.

I say “all sides” because there clearly are not just two sides. There seem to be about as many “sides” as there are chiropractors. Just a sampling of facebook postings and other articles in the past week saw everything from chiropractic is and should be a religion, threatening to bow out and start another profession (straights and mixers both), calls for physical beatings, public shaming and name calling.

The latest was in Minnesota where a bill to change the law regulating the practice of chiropractic was shot down to cheers from some quarters and jeers from others. One e-mail I saw contained an expletive not ready for prime time directed at those that helped shoot it down.

Clearly we cannot and most assuredly will not “just get along” and I’ve been saying this for quite some time. Those that still think there is any unity left to salvage in this profession buy and drink Kool Aid by the barrel.

As I’ve said before this profession is not split – it is splintered into hundreds, if not thousands of factions – let’s call them tribes in the current vernacular.

I wrote a Commentary (Unity Through Tolerance) on this same topic in 2007 and I think it bears a re-reading now. Keep in mind that this was written before this uptick in the expansion of drugs into our scope and before the recent events in the United Kingdom, Australia and in the US with the CCE.

If there are any adults in the room I suspect they are realizing that perhaps mommy and daddy need to get a divorce. Let’s just hope it’s an amicable one instead of destroying the lives of the children (the chiropractic profession) in the process. The thing is there isn’t much evidence that this profession can be civil with itself.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://www.mccoypress.com

The Mundane, Miracles & Chiropractic

2011-04-20T20:00:00Z

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I was recently interviewed on the topic of research in chiropractic and I had one of those moments where you hear yourself talking and start to evaluate what you are saying as you are saying it.

I was talking about all the “mundane” things that chiropractors see results with in their offices with children and where we are seeing some good research as well. Those “mundane” things included ear infections, asthma, even headaches.

What I caught myself doing was downplaying the impact those things have on a child’s life. As chiropractors we get so used to seeing these “miracles” occurring on a daily basis that it just becomes a matter of course for us to know that the child before you is going to get better.

But we really need to stand back for a moment and think about the impact of chiropractic and reducing those subluxations on a child’s life.

We just published a research paper that is the perfect example of this.

http://chiropracticpediatricresearch.web.officelive.com/2011_1079_parasomnia.aspx

The paper is a case study about a 10 year old little girl who suffered from headaches starting at two years of age. Then when she was seven she started having night terrors. Every night, several times a night this poor little girl would awaken screaming. Imagine the impact this had on this child’s life and her family. Eight years of headaches and three years of these horrible night terrors.

Well, guess what? After about eight adjustments to reduce vertebral subluxation this child is no longer suffering.

So what’s the moral of the story? First, don’t forget how significant event the mundane stuff we do is for those who are suffering. Second, get a copy of the paper and give it to your patients to educate them about the implications for chiropractic. Third, support chiropractic research that supports your brand of chiropractic. Do it today!

As always I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://www.mccoypress.net

New Beginnings

2011-04-14T21:24:00Z

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I attended New Beginnings this past weekend along with a few hundred other chiropractors. It was a wonderful weekend connecting with old friends and making new ones. The passion for subluxation centered chiropractic was infectious.

At one point as I sat there listening to an empowering talk about chiropractic and the impact it has on people’s lives I had a flashback to my childhood and it suddenly dawned on me that I had been attending and listening to these messages since I was just a young kid. I guess its not such a big realization but for me the reality that I’ve been around this “brand” of chiropractic for 40 years tugged on me a little and since I’m an analytic got me to thinking.

I looked around in the audience and also realized that most of the folks there had not been around this movement for 40 years. For many it was their first time. I tried to imagine what it would be like hearing this message for the first time and I have to be honest it was difficult if not impossible. So engrained am I with the principles of chiropractic that I realized I’m at a point of no return. As I sat there listening, it became clear that I don’t need the passion and energy of the event to get me “pumped up” any more. In fact, I saw that I hadn’t needed that for a really long time. It was and is the fellowship that matters now - the fellowship and the talking about things that matter with people who care. This is comforting to me because I cannot imagine what it would be like to be hearing the message for the first time or needing to hear it again in order to get pumped up and deliver it to my patients on Monday. We need to be really patient and nurturing with those among us where the message of the bigness of chiropractic has not become part of who they are just yet.

And of course all this got me thinking about something else – can you guess? Why research and politics of course!

The data shows that we are losing market share, enrollment in chiropractic colleges is decreasing, incomes are down and that chiropractors are leaving the profession. The Chiropractic Cartel is on a march toward elimination of subluxation centered chiropractic and they have full armor on. Never mind that the public has no idea what a subluxation is nor that it leads to increased morbidity and mortality – many in our profession don’t and 48% want to prescribe drugs.

Having grown up around and been steeped in subluxation centered chiropractic one of the things I’ve always heard is to take it “one spine at a time.” It’s a comforting colloquialism when the battles loom large and the enemy is at the gates. But I’m afraid I’m no longer comforted by the phrase and neither should you.

We don’t have time to change the culture one spine at a time.

Not if we want chiropractic to be the profession that brings the principles chiropractic is based on to the masses. At best we have 20 years – if we’re lucky. The perfect storm of health care accountability and insolvency of the current method of paying for it coupled with the changes within and the shrinking of our profession over that time frame is a stark reality that we need to face. We need to get engaged in serious research into subluxation.

The recent excitement over victories such as defeating drugs in New Mexico, do not bring me solace because once again the subluxation centered camp is being reactionary. Is this how it’s going to be – we react to each state one at a time as drugs get introduced?

We need to get our politics in order.

When is the subluxation centered faction of this profession going to get proactive? When are we going to learn that we can’t change those organizations and groups within the profession that don’t see things our way? When are we going to stop listening to the leaders in our own ranks who tell us we have to work with those that seek to destroy us? When are we going to stop funding our adversaries, endorsing them and giving them a platform from which to speak?

Its time for the subluxation centered community to band together in a show of solidarity. Not to fight for insurance reimbursement, insurance parity, physician status, or inclusion in any health plan. These endeavors do not respect the fundamental principles of this profession which are based on personal responsibility and autonomy. If some faction of the profession wants that – fine. Let them go after it. But subluxation based chiropractors should lead the way in teaching people about personal responsibility for their health and we should lead the way in teaching students and new graduates that they can be successful in practice without abandoning these principles and without signing a deal with the devil because he controls the insurance market in an area.

But the short term, reactionary, righteous indignation that shows up only when there is a street fight has to stop. Let’s get proactive. Our camp has the talent and we have the passion – its time to focus it.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Now What? The Aftermath of New Mexico, Drugs & the Chiropractic Cartel

2011-03-19T20:38:00Z

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Now What?

In the wake of the victory in New Mexico and the ensuing jubilation that rang out it’s easy to forget a few things.

That there are already “Advanced Chiropractors” practicing there and chiropractors in New Mexico can already utilize what can only be described as drugs. No doubt those that want to change the nature of the entire profession in New Mexico will continue to try and do so. We can only hope that those subluxation centered chiropractors practicing in New Mexico will now keep a tight lid on this as well as a watchful eye from this point forward so that such efforts are stymied long before they get to the point they did again.

And while it’s easy to be giddy about the victory in New Mexico – its just one state. Since the majority of the states are controlled by the Chiropractic Cartel it’s only a matter of time before the next emergency arises.

What needs to happen at this point is for the subluxation centered community to get engaged once and for all in politics and stop the whining that you don’t want to get involved for any of a number of the reasons you tell me all the time. You’re too busy. Politics is negative. You’re focused on your practice. You’re a lover not a fighter. I could go on but you get the point. While you sat around with your excuses, the Cartel took over the profession.

There are three broad tactics as part of the overall strategy for taking back the profession. Politics, research and the media.

Politics: While this area has numerous subheadings and action items the most important and urgent is that subluxation centered chiropractors must get appointed to state boards and remove the language that gives the CCE the monopoly on accreditation of chiropractic educational institutions. If we cannot reproduce out own kind we are doomed to extinction. PERIOD. Nothing else will matter. Please be crystal clear about this as there is no time to waste.

Research: The subluxation centered community must fully engage in and fully support subluxation centered health outcomes research. We have 20 years, at best, to pull this together. This means you have to start writing checks to support this kind of research and stop writing checks and doing business with those vendors in the profession who are clearly not on our side. It is a moral crime to support your own destruction. Start with the ICPA – can you name any other group or organization that has been as good a shepherd of the profession’s principles when it comes to research – or anything else for that matter?

Media: We need to get the lifetime, family, subluxation centered message to the masses. Not neck pain, back pain or headaches. And not through athlete or celebrity endorsements – no matter how much we want to believe it Oprah will not save chiropractic. Anyone even remotely familiar with health communications will tell you that in order for people to take action in regards to their health they have to perceive a risk. In order to perceive a risk they have to know there is a hazard. But that’s not enough. They have to be outraged about it. They have to know the risks of not taking action and they have to know the benefits of taking action. Pain and pleasure – pure and simple. More on this in the near future.

So, the message is not to go back to your cave and think the war is over. It’s not. This was one battle on one front.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Bill Gates Says You Are Killing Children

2011-02-23T14:20:00Z

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According to Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft and the second richest man in the world all you crazy people who question vaccines are responsible for killing children.

In a recent interview with Sanjay Gupta, MD on CNN Gates made the following statement regarding the vaccine-autism link:

“So it's an absolute lie that has killed thousands of kids. Because the mothers who heard that lie, many of them didn't have their kids take either pertussis or measles vaccine, and their children are dead today. And so the people who go and engage in those anti-vaccine efforts -- you know, they, they kill children. It's a very sad thing, because these vaccines are important.“

Gates appears to have recently taken on vaccines as his sunset cause in life. While the Gates Foundation has been deeply involved in vaccination campaigns in third world countries for some time he seems to have shifted into high gear lately stating he is going to eradicate polio once and for all – despite public health experts who say it can’t be done.

His interview with Gupta was the first time I’ve heard Gates disparage American families who choose not to vaccinate. If you read or watch the interview its pretty clear that Gupta – a self proclaimed vaccination advocate – baited gates by throwing in a question about Andrew Wakefield in an interview that was really about vaccination in third world countries. But you will recall CNN’s Anderson Cooper’s charade of an interview with Andrew Wakefield when that story first broke and his follow-up with “expert in everything health care related” – Sanjay Gupta.

CNN claims to be the anti-wacko when it comes to news. I’m waiting for their real investigative piece on the vaccine industry, personal autonomy and the right to choose.

Sadly I sit here writing this in Microsoft Word and Windows. Perhaps its time to get that Mac.

On Thursday, February 24 at 11:30 am, advocates, parents, and professionals will gather for a press conference at Microsoft's NYC headquarters at 1290 Avenue of the Americas (52nd Street and Sixth Ave, southeast corner). Show up if you can and let Gates know how you feel. For more info contact the folks at Vaccine Epidemic

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and questions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Supreme Court Rules Drug Makers Can't Be Sued Over Vaccine Side Effects

2011-02-22T22:55:00Z

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The Supreme Court dealt a fatal blow to the children and their families victimized by vaccine manufacturers and the government today.

The decision was hailed by the American Academy of Pediatrics which represents 60,000 doctors: “Childhood vaccines are among the greatest medical breakthroughs of the last century," said Dr. Marion Burton, the group's president. "Today's Supreme Court decision protects children by strengthening our national immunization system and ensuring that vaccines will continue to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in this country."

Protects children? What mental and moral gymnastics do you have to do to come up with that assertion?

Pfizer similarly applauded the decision while paying token sympathy for the victim and the family. Pfizer Executive Vice President and General Counsel Amy Schulman said, "We recognize, however, that the Vaccine Act provides for full consideration of the liability issues through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Here the Vaccine Court concluded that the petitioners failed to prove their child's condition was caused by vaccination."

According to Reuters, writing for the court, Justice Antonin Scalia, said Congress set up a special vaccine court to handle such claims as a way to provide compensation to injured children without driving drug manufacturers from the vaccine market. The idea, he said, was to create a no-fault system that spares the drug companies the costs of defending against parents' lawsuits. Scalia said that when a vaccine is properly prepared and is accompanied by proper directions and warnings, lawsuits over its side effects are not allowed under the 1986 law.

Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor dissented. Nothing in the 1986 law "remotely suggests that Congress intended such a result," Sotomayor wrote, taking issue with Scalia.

Over the past several years the government and vaccine manufacturers have pushed for more vaccine development and stricter enforcement of mandatory vaccination. The Emergency Health Powers Act and other similar strategies to remove the last vestiges of personal autonomy in matters of health care are well entrenched.

Do I need to remind everyone that the person in charge of public health in this country wears a military uniform and is a General?

With no one fighting for and protecting this autonomy – not the government, not the courts, not even your family doctor what will you do when the decision needs to be made?

It is a sad day today.

For more on the decision including a copy of it CLICK HERE

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

The Dogmas of the Quiet Past, are Inadequate to the Stormy Present

2011-02-06T00:28:00Z

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"The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise -- with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country."

Abraham Lincoln
One month before signing the Emancipation Proclamation

Over the past decade or so I very often found myself wondering – what will it take? What will it take for the silent majority of our profession to spring into action? What will it take for the tens of thousands of chiropractors who do not support the political and research infrastructure underlying the practice of subluxation centered chiropractic to start doing so?

I have to say that the time for sitting on the sidelines is over – of this I have no doubt. Over 50% of this profession wants to shed the drugless designation and bring pharmaceuticals into our clinical armamentarium.

The controlling cartel within the profession is delivering on that request.

The profession is now effectively and officially tiered – the changes in New Mexico have seen to that. The profession’s only academic accrediting agency has removed subluxation from its accreditation standards, cemented chiropractic as another type of primary care physician, removed drugless from our unique role and opened itself up to accredit other types of programs i.e. Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine.

Some were excited to report that 3000 chiropractors responded to the CCE’s open comment period on the new standards with criticism. I was saddened. Saddened that only 3000 felt strongly enough about such a radical change in the very nature of our profession to respond. Saddened that such a small response can only hint at either the deep apathy within the profession or the deep desire within the profession to abandon its fundamental tenets or – both.

Its probably grandiose to look at what is happening in the middle east and try and compare it to the chiropractic profession but I can’t help but do so. What tipped those scales? Why now? What will the outcome be? How long will their determination last? Will it last long enough?

I think these are all relevant questions for those within the subluxation centered community of our profession.

I have to ask – where are you? Why are you not in the square demanding change?

In June 2009, 26 year old Neda Soltan said goodbye to her mother as she left to join her friends in the streets of Tehran to protest the rigging of the Presidential elections there. Her mother begged her not to go. Neda told her mother “If I don’t go, who will?”

Her mother never saw Neda again as she was shot in the throat that night and died.

The chiropractic profession has been hijacked by a controlling cartel whose goals involve changing the fundamental nature of the profession. It is succeeding greatly because no one is stopping them. Again, I have to ask – where are you and if not you, then who?

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and suggestions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx

Mandatory Flu Shots for Chiropractors?

2011-01-24T22:53:00Z

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At their annual meeting in November 2010 the American Public Health Association (APHA) adopted a new Policy supporting the implementation of requirements for all health care workers to receive an annul influenza vaccination. Why should you as a chiropractor care?

The policy as adopted by the APHA states:

Policy # 201014 Influenza Vaccination of Health Workers

Supports implementation of requirements for all health workers to receive an annual influenza vaccination. Urges providers, employers and other organizations to implement comprehensive infection control programs, including vaccination training and education, housekeeping and standard respiratory precautions in keeping with infection control standards. Emphasizes that vaccination of health workers is important for their own protection not just patient safety.

Let’s put aside for a moment any of the issues related to safety and efficacy of the flu vaccine and save that for another day. Bear in mind that this policy is talking about a requirement aka mandate that all health workers (that means chiropractors too) be vaccinated.

Now is the time to dust off your copy of the law, policies and rules regulating the practice of chiropractic in your state, Chances are it says something about abiding by all public health measures.

Scary stuff, huh? Especially scary concerning the move towards drugs into chiropractic and the general move away from traditional, conservative chiropractic by our regulatory boards, educational, accreditation and testing organizations.

In fact the only thing that surprises me so far is that chiropractors are not jumping on the bandwagon to adminster flu shots - but I'm sure that will come soon enough.

Read more about the move to force health workers to get flu vaccines.

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments and questions.

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Editor – McCoy Press Journals
http://mccoypress.web.officelive.com/journals.aspx