Chiropractors want doctors banned from spinal manipulation
CSANZ POSITION STATEMENT ON CORONARY
by Michael
Woodhead
Chiropractors
say doctors are not competent to perform spinal manipulation and should be
banned from doing so unless they undergo extensive further training.
In
a submission on the government’s National Registration and Accreditation scheme, the
Chiropractors’ Association of Australia says medical practitioners pose a risk
to patient safety because they have had little or no training in the procedure.
“Medical
practitioners have no relevant training for spinal manipulation in their
undergraduate training and should also be required to demonstrate equivalency
of competence via appropriate prescribed post-graduate training,” they say
According
to the association, registered chiropractors must have at least five years
training whereas GPs can gain an RACGP-accrediated qualification by mail order.
“It is hard to imagine the medical
practitioners could acquire the knowledge, skill, attitude and technique for
safe performance of spinal manipulation via correspondence, weekend or other
short and inadequate training,” they say.
“Given
the known risks of spinal manipulation, practice based on such a such a low
standard of training should not be permitted,” they say
Their
submission to government says the new accreditation framework that comes into
effect next year should only allow spinal manipulation to be performed by
registered chiropractors, osteopaths, or other health practitioners “who can
demonstrate equivalency of competence through post-graduate training”.
The
current draft of the legislation, which allows any medical practitioner to
perform spinal manipulation, will “seriously compromise patient safety and
quality of care and … permit unnecessary increased risks to Australians,”
“The
CAA asserts strongly that the public should be legally protected from persons
who are unskilled, unqualified, insufficiently trained and not competent to
undertake manipulation of the spine,” they say.
1.I am told that the most commonly used text book by Chiropractors is John Murtagh's "Spinal Manipulation".2.At least doctors have to know how to diagnose and treat spinal disorders, and on the other hand would never treat asthma or infantile reflux oesophagitis ("colic") by manipulating the spine.3.To date there is no Class 1 evidence that manipulation by any profession is superior to placebo, acupuncture or any other non-reality based therapy in spinal pain.
Posted by 16/07/2009 3:50:47 PM
If these procedures supposedly have such a significant level of risk associated with their application, then practitioners on either side must be able to provide a significant, quality evidence base of potential benefit to justify their continued practice.
Posted by Dr Pieter Peach, Vic 16/07/2009 4:01:11 PM
Any evidence basis for this? This coming from chiropractors who use spinal manipulation to treat asthma and the common cold- hard to take them seriously.
Posted by Martin Clark 16/07/2009 4:02:14 PM
It sort of makes your blood boil to think that chiropractors want to ban doctors from practicing certain aspects of medicine. I certainly have never heard of a manipulation course that can be obtained without any practical element - this is emotionally charged garbage designed to denigrate doctors. All the doctors I know who manipulate backs have plenty of experience and have undergone proper training. My understanding is that there is little, if any, evidence-base for most of what chiropractors do in the first place and now they want to take over the whole field of spinal manipulation. Chiropractors readily manipulate babies backs and treat all sorts of problems unrelated to spines (eg urinary tract infections) with manipulation. If chiropractors start a turf war then maybe doctors will reply with denigration of their own.
Posted by Phil Susman 16/07/2009 4:09:07 PM
A new 61 year old patient came 4 weeks ago with a history of chronic backache since a teenager. He has been attending a Chiropractor & Massage Therapist regularly. His appearance & gait made me suspicious he had Ankylosing Spondylitis . HLAB27 was positive & his Xray revealed classical signs of the disease. After 49 years as a GP this is just one of many examples I could quote of wrong diagnosis & poor & potentially dangerous manipulation by Chiropractors. I would back my Medical colleagues anytime instead.
Latest Comments
Posted by 16/07/2009 3:50:47 PM
Posted by Dr Pieter Peach, Vic 16/07/2009 4:01:11 PM
Posted by Martin Clark 16/07/2009 4:02:14 PM
Posted by Phil Susman 16/07/2009 4:09:07 PM
Posted by William Warr 16/07/2009 4:17:00 PM
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