Why Chiropractic gets bad press-
It seems every time you see an article about chiropractic in the national media it has a negative spin. Ever wonder why? It is one of the reason we do this podcast and blog. There was a long time period where the AMA (American Medical Association) actual had a program to hurt chiropractic and try to keep people from going. This campaign included spreading lies about chiropractic being dangerous. Dr Chester Wilk DC was the chiropractor who worked to expose and end this problem.
Medical Discrimination
Medical discrimination against chiropractic refers to instances where medical doctors and the medical community have dismissed or criticized chiropractic care and its practitioners. This can take many forms. Firstly with the exclusion of chiropractors from participating in health care networks. Secondly with the promotion of negative stereotypes about chiropractors. Finally the spreading of misinformation about chiropractic.
Dr Wilk vs AMA
The American Medical Association (AMA) was involved in a long-standing antitrust lawsuit with the chiropractic profession in the United States. The lawsuit, known as Wilk v. American Medical Association, was filed in 1976. This claimed that the AMA had engaged in a conspiracy to restrict chiropractors’ ability to practice and to discredit chiropractic as a profession. The lawsuit argued that the AMA’s actions were anti-competitive resulting in violation of federal antitrust laws.
The case was eventually heard by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Here it was found that the AMA had engaged in anti-competitive behavior and had attempted to restrict competition from chiropractors. The court ordered the AMA to cease its anti-competitive actions. This resulted in a revise its code of ethics to remove language that discriminated against chiropractors.
The Wilk v. AMA lawsuit was significant in that it brought attention to the issues between the chiropractic and medical professions. This helped to pave the way for increased cooperation and integration between the two fields. Because of Dr Wilk, chiropractic is widely recognized as a legitimate form of health care. As a result of efforts here and on Washington DC chiropractic has grown. Firstly, the federal government issues student loans for chiropractic colleges. Secondly, medicare covers chiropractic services.
MORE INFORMATION
First, check out the video link above. Secondly, go to our blog page. Lastly, listen to our podcast. And if you want to take the same supplements Dr Hulsebus takes click here to pick them up next time you’re in.