Table 1 Aberrant practices that cause significant reputational damage to the profession
From: The new chiropractic
Adherence to a flawed chiropractic ideology centring on innate intelligence and vitalism | Claims of cures for visceral and other non-musculo-skeletal conditions |
Anti-vaccination propaganda | Anti-drug and anti-medicine propaganda |
Anti-physiotherapy sentiments | Misleading and deceptive advertising |
Open plan clinics where multiple people are treated in the same room fully dressed | Unscrupulous contracts of care |
Over-servicing | Obligatory full spine x-rays |
Use of the term “subluxation” as a valid diagnosis | Unnecessary treatment of babies |
Biologically implausible diagnostic tests and therapies | Unfounded claims of decreased immunity from “subluxation” and increased immunity from chiropractic treatment |
Life time chiropractic care in the name of “wellness” | An unhealthy disregard of clinical research, evidence based practice, and non-specific treatment effects including natural history and the placebo effect. |