World Federation of Chiropractic Quarterly Report

Barbados: Dr. Dawn Maddalone reports that there are currently seven chiropractors practising in Barbados, where the profession has been regulated since 1974. Although chiropractic is regulated (under the Paramedical Professions Council, rather than separately), the practice is on a "primary contact" basis, with laws specifying rights of diagnosis and the use of diagnostic imaging. Chiropractic services are covered through workers' compensation, but not the government's health care plan. However, most private insurance plans provide coverage for chiropractic services.

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization's regional organization for the Americas, sponsors the work of a local organization, the Caribbean Association of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CACAM), that includes chiropractic and medical doctors. Dr. Maddalone is a CACAM officer, and has recently been an invited speaker at a CME conference sponsored by the Barbados Medical Association and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of the West Indies, but there is still relatively little inter-professional cooperation. She may be contacted at dmchiro@sunbeach.net.

Brazil: When the Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM) in S‹o Paulo commenced its chiropractic school in 2000, the physiotherapists in that state took court action to prevent the opening of the school, on the basis that chiropractic was a specialty of physiotherapy; they were unsuccessful. Currently, the national regulatory body for physiotherapists is taking similar court action, in response to the Associa‹o Brasileira de Quiropraxia (ABQ) draft proposal for legislation to recognize and regulate the chiropractic profession. The ABQ is confident of success in this litigation, and with fewer than 100 members, it is most grateful for the major financial assistance being received from the two universities with chiropractic program, UAM and Feevale University in Novo Hamburgo.

Canada: A new national survey on back pain, conducted by the Environics Research Group for the Canadian Chiropractic Association, found a much higher patient satisfaction rate for chiropractic care than that for any other treatment. [See DC, Aug.16, for more information.]

In May, Dr. Mark Erwin was appointed to a new chiropractic research chair funded by the Canadian government at the University of Toronto. This follows the earlier appointment of Dr. Greg Kawchuk to a similar position at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. These appointments provide major new funding and opportunities for chiropractic research, and are part of a research development strategy implemented by the Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA), which is confident of further such appointments in the future. [See DC, July 28, for more information.]

Chile: Over the past six years, approximately 100 kinesiologists, each with a five-year university background, have been developing and completing postgraduate chiropractic education, in partnership with lecturers from several accredited chiropractic colleges in North America and Europe. During the summer, faculty from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in the United Kingdom will have provided a final two-week course in the areas of diagnosis and diagnostic imaging, in which successful candidates will qualify for a formal equivalency certification as chiropractors.

This will open the path for these professionals to practice exclusively as chiropractors and to proceed with developing university-based undergraduate chiropractic education in Chile, which has Latin America's most developed, stable and successful economy. Led by Raúl Guíñez, this group has formed the Corporación Chilena para el Estudio y Desarollo de la Quiropráctica (the Chilean Corporation for the Study and Development of Chiropractic), now given legal status and responsibility for development of chiropractic by the government.

Cyprus: Dr. Efstathios Papadopoulos, of the Cyprus Chiropractic Association, played an historic role at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva. One of the nine members of a delegation, the WFC secretary-treasurer became the first chiropractor to present a formal address at the Assembly. In response to an invitation from the WHO, he spoke in support of a resolution encouraging governments to include traditional, complementary and alternative forms of health care - including chiropractic - in their systems. Delegates from over 50 governments spoke in support of the resolution, which received unanimous approval. The WFC was the only nongovernmental organization (NGO) that spoke. He is congratulated by the WFC.

Ethiopia: One of the early projects of the Christian Chiropractic Association was to bring Ethiopian students Mulu Baffa and Beyene Mulattu to Palmer College in Iowa. They graduated in 1960, and helped pave the way for the two present chiropractors, Dr. Worku Zewde and Dr. Selam Akilu, at the National Defence Forces Hospital in Addis Abba, the capital.

Dr. Aklilu reports that, while there is no legislation regulating the practice of chiropractic, she has been successful in obtaining a federal superior court ruling under which the Ministry of Public Health is issuing licences to chiropractors who are graduates of accredited colleges. She and Dr. Zewde are supported by a larger group of Ethiopian chiropractors now resident and practicing in the United States, led by Dr. Fethi Shami of Los Angeles. You may contact Dr. Shami at fshami@aol.com and Dr. Aklilu at drselam@hotmail.com.

Japan: The Japanese Chiropractic Education Conference (JCEC), a new group established during the past year representing all of Japan's larger chiropractic schools, reported to the WFC Assembly in Orlando in April. It is campaigning to standardize and upgrade chiropractic education. Negotiations are presently under way for the JCEC, the Japanese Association of Chiropractors, the WFC, and the U.S.' Association of Chiropractic Colleges and National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, to co-sponsor a major meeting on chiropractic education in Japan late next year.

Uganda: Dr. Charles Sebwana reports with thanks that, following further funding from the WFC and Back Talk Systems, a separate chiropractic unit is now fully established and operational at the Mulago Hospital Complex in Kampala. He may be contacted at csebwanachiro@yahoo.co.uk.

Administration

The WFC Council has been elected for a three-year term. Its chiropractor members, unchanged since the last quarterly report, are:

Chris Neethling (South Africa) - African Region;

Bruce Vaughan (Hong Kong SAR-PRC) - Asian Region;

Efstathios Papadopoulos (Cyprus) - Eastern Mediterranean Region;

Anthony Metcalfe (U.K.) - European Region;

Ronald Firestone (Bolivia) - Latin American Region;

Paul Carey (Canada) - North American Region (Canada);

J Michael Flynn (U.S.) - North American Region (ACA);

Michael Pedigo (U.S.) - North American Region (ACA);

Kerwin Winkler (U.S.) - North American Region (ACA);

Gerard Clum (U.S.) - North American Region (ICA;) and

Dennis Richards (Australia) - Pacific Region.

The next election will take place at the end of this year.

FICS Report

Tom Greenway, DC, general secretary to the Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS), reports that the Orlando WFC meeting in May made significant changes to the FICS board and its operation procedures. Its objectives include a closer working relationship between the group and the WFC. The new board is as follows:

President: Daniele Bertamini (Italy;)

General Secretary and Membership Commission: Tom Greenway (U.K.);

Education Commission: Brian Nook (U.S.);

Public Relations Commission: Rikke Craven (Denmark);

Games Commission: Tim Ray (U.S.);

International Sports Federations Commission: Gordon Lawson (Canada);

Finance Commission: Sherri LaShombe (U.S.);

Pan America Region: Octavio Terrazas (Mexico); and

Research Commission: Charmaine Korporaal (South Africa).

The regions are supported by:

Africa: Dr. Charmaine Korporaal (charmak@dit.ac.za);

Americas: Dr. Octavio Terrazas (dr_terrazas@yahoo.com);

Asia-Pacific: Dr. David Cosman (cosman@netvigator.com);

Australasia: Dr. Margie Blacklow (dr.blacklow@clear.net.nz); and

Europe: Dr. Roland Noirat (roland.noirat@fics-ch.org).

Tom Hyde remains as an advisor to the board and is responsible for the World Olympians Association, which maintains a close relationship with the FICS and is a major supporter of furthering FICS involvement with the International Olympic Committee.

For further information, visit the new FICS Web site at www.fics-online.org.