| For many years, chiropractors were labeled as | | | | throughout the 1980s culminating in a Supreme |
| quacks by the established medical community. | | | | Court decision in 1990 that supported an earlier |
| Only in recent years have medical doctors started | | | | decision that found the AMA guilty of illegally |
| to work with chiropractors instead of having a | | | | boycotting and conspiring against the chiropractic |
| confrontational relationship with them. The basic | | | | profession. The lawsuits didn't establish the |
| theory behind chiropractic is that subluxations are | | | | scientific validity of chiropractic medicine but they |
| the cause of many, if not most, medical problems. | | | | did allow chiropractors to continue their practice |
| Subluxations are defined as misalignments in the | | | | without medical doctor interference. Despite |
| spine or other skeletal structures that may cause | | | | improvements in the relation between medical |
| blocked and impaired nerve functions. The idea is | | | | doctors and chiropractors since then, |
| that if a chiropractor realigns the spine then | | | | chiropractors are still not a normal established part |
| normal nerve pathways will be restored and good | | | | of the medical staffs at hospitals and medical |
| health will be the result for the patient. However, | | | | clinics. Chiropractors usually work out of their own |
| there is no scientific evidence that supports these | | | | buildings and organizations separate from medical |
| theories and this is why medical doctors were | | | | doctors' facilities. Occasionally a doctor will refer a |
| opposed to chiropractic. All the studies made in | | | | patient to a chiropractor and vice versa but there |
| support of chiropractic are basically testimonials | | | | is no clearly established working relationship |
| from patients. The chiropractor aligns the patient's | | | | between the two. |
| spine and the patient "says" he feels better. | | | | Part of the problem is that the established medical |
| Whether or not the alignment is the direct and | | | | profession has for many years been opposed to |
| only cause of the patient's restored health has | | | | all other alternative forms of medicine, valid or |
| not been scientifically established. | | | | not. Science was not the real legal issue. They |
| In the 1970s the American Medical Association | | | | actively tried to contain and eliminate competition, |
| (AMA), which is the main governing body for | | | | which is against the law. The AMA has enjoyed its |
| medical doctors in the USA, officially condemned | | | | monopoly of the health profession industry and |
| and labeled chiropractic as a cult and quackery. | | | | has zealously tried to defend it against all other |
| The AMA actually had a section in its written | | | | approaches whether it be acupuncture, |
| Medical Code of Ethics that prevented medical | | | | homeopathy, chiropractic or any other form of |
| doctors from associating with chiropractors in any | | | | health care that does not buy into the surgery |
| way, shape or form. Also, the AMA's Committee | | | | and drugs culture of the established medical |
| on Quackery was working hard to discredit | | | | community. |
| chiropractic by preventing coverage and | | | | The biggest losers in all of this unfortunately have |
| recognition in all federal and state government | | | | been the patients. If a spirit of cooperation and |
| agencies. The chiropractors, in return, sued the | | | | learning had been fostered between doctors and |
| AMA claiming that the condemnation restricted | | | | chiropractors instead of antagonism there would |
| free trade, and they won the lawsuit. Lawsuits | | | | undoubtedly be a much stronger infrastructure |
| between the AMA and chiropracters continued | | | | today for providing health care to patients. |