The UCA and BCA have been contacting their members regarding the BCAs libel cock up. I love saying I told you so! for the umpteenth time. The UCA should be telling their members chiropractic is not a treatment for any condition, chiropractors correct spinal dysfunction (subluxation) with a spinal adjustment and the adjustment may help a number of conditions.
Chiropractors must understand this “attack” is possible because only a handful of people in the entire UK chiropractic profession were prepared to stand up to the GCC and resign from the GCC register. We are no longer allowed to call ourselves chiropractors. I have had to endure GCC investigators coming into my clinic harassing my staff, trying to trap them into saying that Richard Lanigan is still a chiropractor, so they can report me to the police. Chiropractors created this vicious monster and looked the other way while it savaged colleagues indiscriminately, at a time when the profession had some control over the GCC. Now it has none and Margaret Coats et al will do their worst, it will not be the sceptics that will tell you to only treat low back pain. The funny thing about the NICE guidelines this week is they state that doctors should not use interferential, ultrasound, injections,traction all interventions they continued to use for years despite the fact there was little evidence to support them.
This is not about “subluxation” or outlandish claims by chiropractors. It is about senior chiropractors trying to bully those with a different point of view and the sceptics hitting back using the GCC and the ASA decision against Carl Irwin which I would assume was endorsed by the GCC, this will be the GCCs doing not Simon Singh or the sceptics.
The statement reads
The UCA Office has become aware of the ongoing media coverage of the libel case involving the BCA and Simon Singh. As a result chiropractors are being targeted as part of a concerted campaign to discredit the profession, particularly in relation to the publicity materials they are using. The Investigating Committed of the GCC have a statutory responsibility to look into every complaint they receive. This is an attack on the profession which all chiropractors should be aware of.
There is also evidence that complaints are being made to Trading Standards authorities, and several chiropractors have received enquiries from them. Before responding to any communications you might receive, please contact the UCA office in the first instance for help and advice.
The BCA have issued the following statement to their members. The UCA fully supports this statement and recommends members to adhere to the points raised.
The BCA would remind members of their obligations under the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) section 50 (relating to Health & Beauty Products and Therapies: see
Members are strongly encouraged to review their current marketing materials (whether they are paper- or web-based to ensure that they are compliant with both ASA and GCC requirements. Note that the ASA has no jurisdiction over editorial materials placed on members own websites.
When reviewing your materials it may be helpful to consider the following:
1. Are there any claims made that cannot be justified by reference to evidence? Remember, the GCC requires chiropractors to practice evidence based care, which is defined as "clinical practice that incorporates the best available evidence from research, the preferences of the patient and the expertise of practitioners (which includes the individual chiropractor himself).
2. Be mindful of making promises that you cannot be sure of delivering on;
3. Be wary of listing conditions that are controversial and away from mainstream chiropractic care e.g. dyslexia/dyspraxia unless you have research to back this up. If you have made references to prolonged crying, sleep and feeding problems, breathing difficulties and frequent infections, as these are symptoms rather than condition specific, we suggest you remove these references.
4. Do not refer to yourself as a specialist in any particular form of chiropractic;
5. Do not use unfamiliar words for common conditions;
6. Do not unjustly criticise other healthcare professionals;
7. If you refer to subluxations, provide information to explain what they are.
8. Take care in the use of the Doctor title. Ensure that there is no way there can be any doubt that you are a chiropractor, and not a registered medical practitioner. Do not use the doctor title in paper advertising without explicitly stating that you are a chiropractor
