Death knell for the chiropractic profession?
Great civilizations are not destroyed from without, they crumble from within. The values that made them great are forgotten and they are easy prey for armies that had feared them in the past.
Healthcare professions are no different. Many healing arts that have helped untold millions have been lost and forgotten, hopefully to be rediscovered after much unnecessary suffering and death.
I had the following conversation with the famous medical historian Harris L. Coulter, Ph.D. when I told him about the division in chiropractic between the vitalists (empiricists) that hold to the traditional chiropractic philosophy and the mechanists who follow a medical philosophy:
Dr. Coulter said, “Oh, that’s nothing new. The same split between vitalists and mechanists has been going on in nearly every health field for over two thousand years: osteopaths, homeopaths, naturopaths, MDs.
“Who wins?” I asked.
“Usually the mechanists,” said Dr. Coulter.
“Why?” I asked.
Dr. Coulter told me something I’ll never forget: “The vitalists traditionally have the biggest practices, make the most money and are the best healers. The mechanists are more attracted to politics and bureaucracy. They take over the licensing bodies, schools and professional organizations. The vitalists lose by default.”
Imagine, you are a successful, vitalistic DC practicing traditional chiropractic. Your neighbor, who is a mechanist, sees a fraction of the patients you see, makes less money, but gets a seat on the state board, is involved in professional organizations and decides how you will practice and how the schools will be run.
Vitalists? Mechanists? A quick explanation
The goal of all vitalist (empirical) healing systems is to balance the body, remove interferences and restore the body to optimal function so it may unleash its natural healing power.
Mechanist care concentrates on diagnosing and treating disease.
Vitalists see symptoms as beneficial mechanisms by which the body restores homeostasis. Therefore, symptoms should be respected and promoted. Vitalism guides the practice of
traditional chiropractors, osteopaths, homeopaths, naturopaths, acupuncturists, bodyworkers and other 
natural healers.
Mechanists, on the other hand, see symptoms as harmful and give suppressive medications and other therapies to counter the symptoms. Modern medicine follows a mostly mechanistic philosophical approach.
What does this have to do with vaccination?
Vaccination is arguably the ultimate suppressive “healing” practice. Vaccination drives toxicity and disease deep into the body, deeper than the body can naturally expel/express, so deep that these toxins have access to all the major organs, including the brain. Vaccination actually does what the immune system tries to prevent – it exposes vital organs to germs and toxins. Vaccination is the opposite of expressive, vitalistic healing.
Vaccination is a litmus test as to how well chiropractic philosophy is understood.
Death knell of a profession?
Death knell of a profession may sound extreme but if chiropractic schools refuse to take a stand on vaccination, fail
to allow vaccine choice, fail to allow for informed choice, cave to pressure and require/recommend indiscriminate vaccination it means only one thing: rejection of chiropractic philosophy.
When applied without recognizing our unique philosophy, the adjustment is no more than manipulative therapy. Medical anthropologist E. A. Morinis has warned us:
Only the chiropractic philosophy significantly distinguishes the chiropractic practitioner. And yet the philosophy is kept hidden away…. If hospitals offer spinal manipulation, a chiropractor offers nothing else…. Dispossessed of its philosophy, chiropractic is dispossessed of its uniqueness, and perhaps its future.
Morinis EA. Theory and practice of chiropractic: an anthropological perspective. JCCA. 1980;24(3):118.
American osteopathy has become a medical profession (almost total reliance on drugs, vaccines and surgery). Surely, osteopathy’s founder, A.T. Still, would be horrified at what has happened to his profession. DD and BJ Palmer would be horrified at DCs trying to fit into the medical model, selling themselves as a pain therapy, promoting drugs and diagnosing and treating conditions.
“Back and neck pain centers?” “Pain control centers?” – that is mechanism and, in my opinion, it sells out the profession. A chiropractor coming from such a philosophical perspective sees fewer children, fewer pregnant women, offers less wellness care and does less subluxation correction.
Why is this so important?
Forced vaccination, vaccination without informed choice, is not a scientific issue – it is a philosophical issue. Forced vaccination is the most extreme exponent of the medical mechanistic/materialistic philosophy of how the body works and is to be addressed or “treated.” Forcing vaccination for everyone has not been proven scientifically. It is a belief system based on fear.
Any “chiropractic” school that requires or passively accepts mandatory vaccination is not a chiropractic school. It is accepting and following a medical model of health that is contrary to the chiropractic model of health. It is glorified physical therapy built on political coercion.
Which schools?
A few months ago, a Canadian DC told me she needed a hepatitis shot to graduate from CMCC. “I don’t believe it,” I said.” “Call and see for yourself.” I did; she was right. I decided to call all the chiropractic schools in North America and asked the admissions people, “Do you require or recommend vaccinations?” If the below responses I received are incorrect I invite the schools to contact me.
Chiropractic schools requiring/recommending vaccinations:
1. Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. (416) 482-2340. After leaving three messages and getting no response, I finally got a call back: “New students need a series of vaccinations. Two step Td, and proof of vaccination or immunity of MMR-V, DTP, polio, Hep B, influenza is recommended. We have an option to refuse vaccines but it may impact their going to the clinic.”
2. National University of Health Sciences. (800) 826-6285. “MMR and up-to-date tetanus.”
3. New York Chiropractic College. (800) 234-6922. “Proof of MMR, proof of two measles shots after first birthday. Exemptions for religious reasons are available but very few take exemptions.”
4. Northwestern Health Sciences University. (952) 885-5409. “Yes, according to Minnesota laws. Can use conscientious objector.”
5. Parker University. (800) 637-8337. “Meningitis is required.”
6. Texas Chiropractic College. (281) 429-8452. “To enter clinic, you need an MMR and Hep B series, two doses varicella and tetanus. To enter school meningitis is needed.”
7. University of Bridgeport. (203) 576-4552. “Yes, immunizations are required.”
8. University of Western States. (503) 251-5734. “You need MMR. The state of Oregon requires you to watch a video if you decide on an exemption from a primary care provider.”
9. Southern California University of Health Sciences. Note: used to be LACC. (877) 434-7757. “Need a TB test to enter the chiropractic program … we have changed our policies but we’ll get back to you about it.” [No call back for 2 weeks.]
Chiropractic schools where no vaccinations are required:
1. Cleveland Chiropractic College. (800) 467-2552. “I did follow up with my director and she mentioned she didn’t think we required any type of immunization to get into the university for our DC program. It’s not something the admissions team ask for during the process of enrolling students.”
2. Life College of Chiropractic. (770) 426-2600. “No vaccinations required.”
3. Life West College of Chiropractic. (800) 788-4476. “No vaccinations required.”
4. Logan College of Chiropractic. (636) 227-2100. “No vaccinations required.”
5. Palmer College of Chiropractic (Davenport). (800) 722-2586. “No vaccinations required.”
6. Palmer South College of Chiropractic (Florida). (866) 585-9677. “No vaccinations required.”
7. Palmer West College of Chiropractic. (800) 722-2586. “No vaccinations required.”
8. Sherman College of Chiropractic. (800) 849-8771. “No vaccinations required.”
Final note: philosophical or legal?
From a philosophical perspective, chiropractic is opposed to vaccination. Vaccination represents everything chiropractic is not.
From a legal perspective, however, we should respect everyone’s right to choose and enjoy informed consent.
Informed choice is only as good as the information you have.
PS. Below is a little vaccine information for those of you who weren’t educated about this important subject in chiropractic school (over half of the DC students,). Inform yourself and your patients.
Dr. Tedd Koren
Dr. Koren, originally from Brooklyn, NY, lives in Montgomery County, PA. A graduate of the U of Miami and Sherman College of Chiropractic, he writes, lectures and teaches in the US, Europe and Australia as well as takes care of patients and fights for healthcare freedom. Dr. Koren and his wife Beth have two children.
Thank you, Tedd, for ringing the alarm concerning this desecration of a fundamental philosophical principle of chiropractic. Coulter was so right, it is often jealousy and covetousness which are the basis for regulation. Economically, regulation never increases access but always restricts access. Regulation by its very nature reduces freedom, confiscates wealth and redistributes that wealth to those who can’t compete in a free world. As principled doctors of chiropractic, we need to fully comprehend that if we don’t fight back against such regulations we are acquiescing to the demise of free choice as well as the redistribution of wealth. Historically, no country, no society, and no profession has ever been able to survive the fruit of such acquiescence.
right on Dr. Tedd keep up the right fight!!!!!
hi, its Marty Grossman,a friend of Dr. Creed! Before my first child was born I brought my wife to talk to Dr. Joe Accurso DC about vaccines. In 60 minutes she was on board with me ,anti-vaccine! As luck would have it when my son was 13 and a half he was up one night howling with pain in his abdomen. Shortly there after he began to loose weight kind of quickly, without dieting! Actually it was 18 pounds in a matter of weeks! About that time a patient came to me fearing death was around the corner because he had fainted twice and landed in the hospital. They informed him he was type 1 diabetic and if he did not stop loosing weight he would die! My wife took my son to the emergency room. He was admitted with a sugar level of 350. They kept him for some 3+ days and released him as a type 1 diabetic! I am glad I never doubted my philosophy because if I had “I would have to had committed suicide ” out of guilt! Today he leads a normal life and wears an insulin pump.
Dear Dr. Grossman, thank you for writing and please give Dr. Creed my kind regards. I believe that there is a reason for everything so what happened to your son? Did he get exposed to toxins? Did he have any dental work prior to his diabetes issue?
Sad to see that my alma mater, TCC, is on the list of chiropractic colleges requiring vaccinations.
Read the book “Plague” where the author, a scientist with the National Health Centers for 20 yrs, found that Retroviruses from animals that vaccines were grown in or animal substances, transferred the retrovirus via the first vaccination where it was harbored in white blood cells. A subsequent vaccination then stimulates the white blood cells to proliferate due to the adjuvants thus stimulating the retrovirus to greatly replicate and cause diseases even crossing the blood brain barrier! It was OK when it was implicated for CFS but when she said it could damage brains resulting in Autism that she was ostracized! That also explains why practices of spreading out vaccinations is safer with fewer negative effects as well as why different kids and adults have different reactions… different retroviruses from different sources at different times and different immune situations.
Wow. Had no idea that 9 Chiro colleges require some or any vaccinations. They should stop being confused with chiropractic schools!
The fact that they are influencing brand new students this way is unconscionable
I agree. The students come out brainwashed. I forget the number but many DCs have their children vaccinated, more than we’d like to believe.
Thank you for this info!
Now I know which schools to send my non vaccinated daughter to!
John Oliver is wrong on a lot of things. Amazing me how people like him are so brazen on politics but so cowardly when it comes to towing the party line for drug companies. IMO Oliver takes it up the rear for his sponsors just like every other pind*#k of his ilk.
Sure glad I am a retired Chiropractor. The price of education and fighting the insurance companies for my peanuts and now we have idiots making laws I have no respect for.
Hey Dr Dale, if you are retired and have any spare time, we need people like you sitting on Boards and committees helping to steer the future of the profession.
The truth is sometimes painful and this is one of those times. How can chiropractic colleges be so hypocritical? On one hand they preach about how powerful our God given innate intelligence is and then on the other hand they require vaccines with neurotoxins to be injected into an individual that will negatively impact the expression of this innate intelligence prior to being allowed to be a chiropractic student?
Thank you Dr. Evangel. Excellent insight. I wonder if chiropractic educators will respond to this blog. It’s been sent to our entire list of many thousands of DCs.
Well written, and well researched as usual. I truly fear for our profession. It is turning into an alternate form of physiotherapy,assuming no real identity or direction. I’m saddened that tomorrows chiropractor, with his/ her pain centered focus will not see the miracles that I see daily. Humanity is entering the dark ages of healthcare, based on the needs of industry, not the living, breathing , loving humans that only want the best for themselves and their family. Thank you Tedd for what you are doing to hold up the principles of vitaliasm, and support those who embrace them. with Love…. Sandy
I 100% agree, I went to Cleveland, they did not ask or require any vaccines, I graduated in 2011, however they do seem to try and appease the allopathic community. Especially to get University status as Cleveland recently has, many of the instructors are very Pro-vaccine, the Public Health classes all teach the same as Medical schools that vaccines saved us all.. Those who are anti-vaccine or at least question them do not have a large voice there. We did have speakers that brought it up, they do not promote vaccines at Cleveland but they do not address it either. It is similar to “Medipractors” those who are Doctors of Chiropractic who try to be Medical Doctors, more so to prove that they are as “Good” or a “real” doctor, maybe because they feel that they aren’t unless they act more medical minded. At least the ones that I know practice more as a Naturopath than a DC, which is at least better than pharmaceuticals. That is what scares me about states trying to give DC’s prescription rights is the ability for corruption to take over the profession the way it has MD’s.
Dr Jeremy D Kobler DC
http://www.koblerchiro.com
Kobler Chiropractic and Acupuncture
500 NW Englewood Road KCMO 64118
office 816-569-6577
I graduated from CCC-KC in 2002 and have one question for you, Dr. Kobler. If you dislike “Medipractors” so much then why does your tab “About the Dr” under “Learn why Dr. Jeremy D Kobler DC chose to be a chiropractor” state:
“he then enrolled at the Cleveland Chiropractic College to become a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine.”
You seem just as confused as the medipractors that you complain about.
It’s sad but not surprising to read your comments regarding Cleveland College. I am sure that most of the schools that don’t require vaccination have no idea why they don’t require vaccination. I have offered to give free talks on vaccination at Life, Life-West, Sherman, Parker – I offered to pay my way down. Not one school took me up on it. I tried the same with NorthWestern, Western States, Texas, Logan and NY and was told “no.” These lemming administrators and educators have no idea that they are committing professional suicide.
How many school officials contacted me as a result of this blog? None. It’s not as if it wasn’t forwarded all over the place.
Nice facts, the two Chiropractic professions….. this war began long before we were in Chiropractic, and only a long costly federal legal battle will correct it.
This is disgusting! Vaccinations at a chiro school??? It’s bad enough at medical institutions but chiropractic schools??? Really???
Compromising institutions selling themselves down the river to be accepted by the medical profession.
Very sad.
I am appalled at the complete brain washed thinking of some “chiropractors”. Whatever happened to the Hippocratic Oath (“Firstly do no harm.” ) ? and chiropractic philosophy ? The body KNOWS what to do given the chance. Innate Intelligence Rules, whatever some think. It saddens me greatly that chiropractic students are expected to undergo this ASSAULT, not only to their body but upon their intelligence. It goes against all chiropractic principles and against free will.
I live in England and attended a college grounded on Vitalistic principles. Unfortunately I find myself being an almost lone voice after 20 years in practice. I shared this blog on a facebook page devoted to practitioners of our technique. My post was removed and an admin. whom I graduated alongside posted asking that nothing to do with vaccines should be posted in future !!! Recently I attended a C.P.D. event with another of the admins whom I had regarded as a friend. She asked to “have a word”…. and told me to be “Less Vitalistic” on the facebook page in future. WHAT is happening ?
Tedd, we have to cut off the heads of the serpent, David Chapman Smith and Richard Brown. Go to the Global Chiropractic Alliance for your blueprint. Those two have to be destroyed in the courts and then we put all credentialing in the hands of the chiropractic colleges. Period. No more regulation, OR ELSE!
Thank you Tedd! It’s incredible to me that a Chiropractic school would require vaccinations! Don’t those folks read anything besides medical propaganda! Haven’t they noticed the deliberate deception, aka lies, about safety and efficacy? As Dr. Chris Kent says; one form of lying is by omission, the vaccine zealots carefully omit adverse information. Tetanus shots, really? To quote Russell Blaylock, M.D., you have about as much risk getting tetanus as you do getting hit by a meteor. I chose chiropractic because the philosophy made sense and could be backed by science and objective outcomes, and it appeared to be the leadership needed for the future of health care. Sadly our leadership is selling out. I’m retired but continue to actively support Vaccine Choice Canada, who represent a voice for truth in the battle for control of the mass mind.
Gracias por su información, es importante conocer los adelantos en el tema.
Dr Parker, the founder of Parker College of Chiropractic, is rollng in his grave right now! Unbelievable!
Parker would not be alone. There are many of all our chiropractic pioneers that are crying over what their beloved profession has become.
Thank you for the straight info. My wife and I have a son now 48 and NO shots ever., Palmer( the fountain head) TAUGHT truth and we have stayed on that road, In my opinion, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ from our gov has taking over some of our colleges. We as humans are being st up to be ginnie pigs. We MUST stay strong and inform our patients and friends and relatives. Ive said enough.
Its all about money. Follow the money and the truth will come with it! The politically driven schools seem to be the ones requiring mandatory vaccinations.
Once I saw the schools with the requirements, not that surprising. Sad, but not surprising. The Kool-Aid is not that tasty and should not be consumed….. I will send students to the vaccine “not required” schools! Thanks for the heads up, Tedd!
Without Innate and an understanding of Chiropractic Philosophy, graduates are destined to become second class mechanics – right behind PTs. The intent that comes from understanding Innate is what makes the adjustment so powerful.
Tedd
After 42 years in Chiropractic, I am now retired. There have been many changes in the Chiropractic profession over these years.
Gone are the lifeblood of our profession. I was fortunate to practice in a time where I met and listened to these Philosophy based Chiropractors. Sigafoose, Gold, Williams, Parker and many more. I was very fortunate to have Clay Thompson and Larry Webster as my mentors and Philosophy teachers. My technique improved dramatically and the results for my patients were amazing. I had a very busy office.
What I see today is a deviance away from our Chiropractic Philosophy and our way of life. Chiropractic is changing. Marketing is taking over and what we should do to get patients not how to keep them and adhere to our principles of Chiropractic-Philosophy, Art and Science.
There are many Chiropractors that are good at what they do. They work hard and become proficient in their techniques. But newer graduates are losing their way. The colleges are failing them on many fronts.
One Chiropractic technique that I feel is leading the way to make Chiropractic strong again is your teaching of KST. Innate flourishes under your teaching and so does Chiropractic technique.
Keep searching for better ways to get better healing responses to keep Chiropractic in the forefront of vitalistic healing.
Tom Michael DC
On a recent tour of Southern California University of Health Science I was told by an employee that the flu shot was required for chiropractic interns to enter the clinic.
In Australia our two associations, CAA and Coca stipulate that vaccinations are necessary! Also, if we are unsure go and get advice from a medical doctor. Really, most MDs don’t know what is in a vaccine they go mostly by what the pharmaceuticals tell them. Our Australian government has a law now, “no jab no pay” and “no jab no play”! That means if the child is not vaccinated the parents do not receive the government bonus monthly. Or if not vaccinated they cannot attend day care. The concern of a lot of parents is loss of the government bonus so they go ahead with the vaccines. I have experienced this in my clinic. Australian DCs who speak out about the harmful vaccines run the risk of losing their
licence. We are very fortunate to have Dr Tedd Koren who understands the Chiropractic philosophy and is not frightened (like a lot of DCs) to speak out for the truth and well being of humanity. I can only hope that sensibility will prevail.
Hi Shirley,I’d love to speak for the two Australian organizations but I’m afraid they’ll never invite me. Sad. Thanks for the kind words and please forward the blog post to as many people as you know.
PS. Ros still talks about your lunch together.
Enough is Enough We must draw a line in the sand . Robert Kiyosaki said to me once ” Go after what you Hate with What you Love”
As A Vitalist ,I Love the Natural principles of Life and what I Hate are the lies and deception from the people in power. I have recently started educating and hopefully inspiring patients and any one who will listen about the Hygienic School of Health outlined in the “Why do we get Sick ” brochure by Tedd Koren. This is a simple yet powerful way to remind/teach people about how the body detoxifies ( fever ,sweat, vomit etc) itself and heals; that the symptoms of the “flu” are the way the body detoxes and are Not to be feared and that Medication suppresses these symptoms to the detriment of the body. People are getting it; they know that drugs are not the answer But they don’t know where else to turn. We can be the solution, in fact I believe we always have been!
Tedd I love and respect you immensely for the courage in taking your stand.
Thank you Barry. I’m hoping we’ll do a KST seminar in Hong Kong. We had a good turnout of HK DCs last year. Maybe even more will come if I come to you? I can do a free philosophy/KST/vaccine talk while I am there as part of my trip. Think it’ll draw?
Until you mentioned this, I never even questioned what side we were on. Thanks for sharing your awareness. Grateful we still have a few that can still resist this battle. I have learned that fluoride treatments calcify the pineal gland that prohibits people from critical thinking and I just wonder if all those years of receiving fluoride treatments, which is still the norm for children has contributed to the compliance of vaccinations?
I was pulled out of class the first week of tri 1 at NYCC and was told I couldn’t return until I had received a second measles shot. I complied as I was early first tri, just moved 6 hours from home and wanted to go to school. I was dumb and didn’t realize I might have a choice. This was 20 years ago! I spent one tri there and transferred to Logan. NYCC wasn’t for me. I later learned more about vaccination dangers and toxicity and regretted not fighting the shot.
Tedd,
It doesn’t surprise me that some colleges require these unnecessary vacs. A conformist society seems to be of norm today. It is very sad.
I’ve never been a philosophy junky but we need to use our heads and look at all the science. I asked a very intelligent MD pediatrician one time if the benefits out weighs the risks of vacs and he couldn’t answer me. There is very little science behind them.
That’s why they never debate anyone on the subject. They are the emperors who have no clothes.
Very informative article. I had no idea so many of our colleges had begun requiring all of those vaccinations just to enter school. I would not be comfortable having someone tell me to have all of those. I’m not happy with some of the extreme changes within our institutions in recent years. I believe many have really lost what we are about.
Completely true! Simple and concise, and everyone should read this! Glad to see LIFE (where I went) is still on track.
Thank you Jason. Please send the blog post to as many people as you know – this information needs to be dispersed; the profession is dying.
I seem to remember that BJ Palmer made a famous speech circa the 1940’s where he said something like, “There will come a day when you go to the chiropractor and he will use every therapy under the sun, and at the same time, you will go to the MD and he will give you a specific adjustment to the atlas, and they will still call the chiropractor a quack.”
He could see this coming a long time ago. Our profession has poo-hewed philosophy since I was a young chiropractor. I used to go to DE and see Syd Williams, Ian Grassam, Sigafoose, Bob Hoffman, Ernie Landie, Reggie Gold, and many others. The “Greats” were all about philosophy. It is so sad so many of them are gone,
I truly worry about our profession. What has always made us different is the strength of our philosophy and words like subluxation(not segmental dysfunction) and adjustment (not spinal manipulative therapy) and “Chiropractic” colleges (not Northwestern “University of the Health Sciences”, etc.) It was All about being proud to be different and helping people acquire health through restoring proper nerve function, not just relieving pain. It was about standing up for our philolosophy and being able to “speak out” and educate people about the dangers of drugs, surgeries, vaccinations, and immunizations. Without our philosophy, we are dispossessed of our profession. It is an absolute shame that many DC’s won’t discuss this with patients, or even worse are for vaccinations and immunizations.
Most of our profession has given up what we stand for in order to be like and be liked by the MDs and to paticipate in a medical insurance payment system and be “politically correct.” In South Dakota, our Spring “Super Conference” is funded by the medical doctors in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. So, many, if not the majority, of our speakers are MDs, When polled, 40% of the chiropractors in SD want to be able to prescribe drugs. And, the number of these types of practitioners are exponentially growing, because the colleges are graduating people who really have no idea of what chiropractic was meant to be. The Chiropractic schools requiring vaccinations is just a sad sign of this. Those who can’t do, teach. Those who can’t do and are not busy have all kinds of time to get into politics and tell the ones who “can do” what not to do! 🙁
My grandpa was taught by BJ. He went to school two years. He got it! His teaching wasn’t clouded by a ton of worthless “scientific” information and training on how to do medical exams, and operate physiotherapy devices, and how to take copious notes, and “work the insurance system”. He didn’t come out of school hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and inept at what he was supposed to do. He came out financially stable with sound philosophy and a desire to help people through the chiropractic adjustment of the subluxation!
Maybe what we need to do is change the whole educational system back to fewer years of school and more “apprenticeship” with successfull chiropractors teaching, instead of teachers who have no clue. And maybe we should go back to a cash system with reasonable fees and quit playing in the medical doctors and insurance companies “sandbox”. 🙂
As a vitalist Chiropractor and a graduate of CMCC, I am appalled by this relatively new demand that Chiropractic students get vaccinated. I am also appalled with the DCs I have encountered over the last 20 plus years in practice, trained in the art science and philosophy of Chiropractic, but expressing the notion that we are not “real doctors,” that we need to fit into the conventional medical model to be taken seriously. Chiropractic schools that require vaccines erodes our philosophical strength, and Chiropractors who are wanna-be orthopedists or physical therapists destroy the profession from within. When an adjustment of subluxations becomes passe and “not medical enough,” I fear for the future of the profession.
Tedd your article is SPOT ON! Thank you for it.
“Vaccination is a litmus test as to how well chiropractic philosophy is understood.”
This, in my opinion, sums up your ENTIRE article. Well put. And I never though of it like this before… but you are SO right.
When chiropractic philosophy is stripped from the schools in an effort to look more “scientific,” this is what we end up with: a TOTAL lack of UNDERSTANDING. Not only do we take away our unique proposition as health care providers, but we take away who we are – our IDENTITY – to the point that we (as chiropractors) become confused and rudderless and without grounding… and thus seek our sense of self-worth from wanting to gain more “cultural authority” and be more like “them”… and when this happens we become REPLACEABLE and NO LONGER NEEDED in the health care arena.
But I also like how you stated that while from a PHILOSOPHICAL angle vaccination represents everything that chiropractic is NOT, from a “LEGAL perspective we should respect everyone’s right to CHOOSE.” [emphasis mine] And I’d add, if people do end up CHOOSING vaccination… then they need what true chiropractic has to offer MORE THAN EVER. So we have to come from a place of love and respect with our patients or we risk driving them away without the care they need and the opportunity to further educating them.
In your follow up article, you brilliantly wrote how so many in chiropractic want chiropractic to be seen as complimentary to allopathic medicine, “to fit in, to be accepted, to find its place under the medical umbrella.” I’m wondering though, do you think this is the PRIMARY driver of the vaccination mandate we’re seeing with our more mechanistic colleges right now? …Or is there something else at play (ie. funding pressures)? Is our perceived need to “play” in their sandbox enough for some to throw our profession under the bus? I wonder if MEDICAL SCHOOLS require vaccination??? Are we assuming that they do? It doesn’t seem that long ago that the AMA came out AGAINST mandatory vaccination for THEMSELVES.
Again, love the article. You are (and have been) a steadfast warrior for our profession. Keep speaking the TRUTH.
Dear Dr. Lamar,
Thanks so much for your well written response. I’m sure that wanting to fit in is a big draw for chiropractors who say, ‘Don’t discuss vaccination, that’s a medical issue and we shouldn’t get involved in medical issues.” To a person who says that I ask, “What if a patient told you they decided to have back surgery? Would you tell them that’s a medical issue?” There’s no difference – we’re talking about philosophical approaches – the clinical or therapeutic perspective is secondary.
I really think that most of the schools that don’t require vaccination do not know why they don’t. It’s more than a risk-benefit perspective, it’s a gestalt.
Philosophy is poorly taught at most of the schools (if it’s taught at all). I’m trying to get to speak at colleges, but they close their doors to me. I’ve offered to speak at my own expense. They don’t care. It’s sad watching a profession die.
First, I wish to offer my appreciation for your willingness to passionately speak out against components in healthcare you strongly oppose. With that said, I strongly (but respectfully) disagree with your approach to this topic.
Although this article deals with the breakdown in philosophical approaches by Chiropractic Colleges, it also attempts to convey the great harm vaccines cause. I agree with you there is great concern for dishonesty and lack of proper informed consent existing in current times. This, however, doesn’t justify our profession to use statistics simply designed to elicit emotional outrage.
I was unable to find your meme’s source in this post. The website at the bottom produced no results. My attempt to google the statistics in this meme produced no references to determine the validity in these numbers.
Although I understand your strong opinion opposing vaccinations, it is our job as professional health care providers to do our due dilligence and find qualitative research. It is our job to share this research in its ENTIRETY with the world. This means it is our responsibility to share good research that justifies ALL SIDES of the vaccine story.
The medical field (in general) does NOT publicly share quality research questioning the validity of the childhood vaccination program. They overwhelmingly focus on the research that supports THEIR MODEL. If we are going to claim to be honest quality physicians striving to educate our patients to help empower them to make the best health care decisions for themselves, we have an ethical and moral responsibility to OBJECTIVELY review the research and share ALL quality aspects with our patients. It is NOT our job to PROVE medical treatment procedures right or wrong, but rather to share the risks and benefits (without bias) with our patients so they can choose for themselves.
The meme you shared (as it appears) is nothing but propaganda. It fuels the medical field (which already has a great deal of support and confidence from the average consumer) with “proof” that the chiropractic profession makes unsubstantiated unscientific claims while being incapable of protecting the consumer from these “life threatening” diseases.
Our profession has not achieved the level of confidence the medical establishment holds, and therefore, requires us to rise up and use higher standards if we want our voices heard by the public. This requires a thorough review of the literature while pointing out the strengths and weaknesses in research supporting AND opposing our childhood vaccine program.
When dogmatic opinions are expressed by medical doctors and doctors of chiropractic, status quo is perpetuated. The medical field laughs at us when they see memes like the one you shared. They know the public won’t ever believe their “trusted medical physician” would recommend a treatment deemed “truly” harmful.
What the chiropractic field needs is a combination of quality research and quality orators willing to step forward and debate our medical colleagues (respectfully) and publicly regarding the safety and validity of childhood vaccines. Honesty, not FEAR (on the side of the medical profession or the chiropractic profession) are the grounds upon which decisions should be made.
I know how difficult it can be to contain emotions when strong biases exist (whether justifiable or not.) Overcoming powerful political and financial entities in the healthcare field with business models that seem to support the industry’s wellbeing over that of their patients (in many cases), requires us to establish higher standards supporting the needs of our patients. Memes in and of themselves will never help us achieve these important goals. If we are going to continue to evolve into a more relevant part of the healthcare system, we are going to have to learn how to share essential components of health in a meaningful manner to help our patient’s achieve a better quality of life.
Thank you so much for providing this information! I was wondering about it! The schools that are requiring or making it mandatory must be receiving financial compensation because mandatory vaccination goes against all beliefs of chiropractic.
Hey! Amazing article. You’ve covered everything on vaccination that people should know. I’ve subscribed to your mail list, so whenever you post a new article I can keep an update of it. Keep sharing such articles. Cheers!.
It’s true for our life, you are providing for information about vaccination, people are much reading this blog…
I’m glad the author and responders to this article aren’t in charge of public health departments. I’m amazed that science cannot easily overturn this 19th century view of health. I do hope that all of your children and grandchildren receive proper required vaccinations so they don’t suffer preventable illness and help keep the rest of us healthy. Smallpox wasn’t eradicated by manipulation of vertebrae. I do like the wellness aspects of chiropractic, but not this attitude.
Your presumptions are based on “false science” or “junk science”. If vaccinations were tested by scientific standards NOT ONE vaccine would pass muster for safety or effectiveness.
Why do you wish chronic illness such as allergies, asthma, ADD, autism, cancer and other illnesses on my children and grandchildren? Do you have any idea that science does not back up your view about smallpox? Perhaps if you read beyond the hysterical headlines you’d realize that the people against vaccination are better informed.
Hey, This is amazing article you write for us. I was read your article and they help to me for chiropractic care. I’ve subscribed to your mail list, so whenever you post a new article I can keep an update of it.