The Department of Veterans Affairs has chosen to add Charles DuVall Jr.,DC, to the VA Advisory Committee, despite the history of disdain he has shown for chiropractic. Quite simply, Dr. DuVall does not represent the chiropractic profession. He is the president of the National Association of Chiropractic Medicine (NACM), an organization (not an association) that does not have membership dues, elections or any other mechanism that would suggest a democratic process.
Because the NACM has no dues, there is no membership list, although the NACM is quick to brag that it "represents" thousands. It is a group that claims to be "scientific," although its members hold no degrees advanced beyond chiropractic.
For those who are not aware of DuVall's chiropractic-bashing career (or if you've just forgotten), here are a few reminders:
Now he is on the VA Advisory Committee to help institute chiropractic care for veterans. Any guesses as to what kinds of positions he'll be taking?
We have a choice. We can sit still and let him trash chiropractic's opportunities with the VA like he has so many other times before, or we can begin a campaign to get him out. To begin this campaign, we are dedicating every issue of Dynamic Chiropractic and all 50,000+ pages of ChiroWeb.com to speaking out about DuVall's removal. From this moment forward, the front page of DC and every page of ChiroWeb will feature the following banner:
This will quietly, but effectively voice our outrage over DuVall's appointment in a way that will be seen by millions of people many times every month. It will demonstrate chiropractic solidarity, and make it clear just how much we dislike and disagree with DuVall.
This will be phase 1 of a multiphase effort to get Charles DuVall removed from the VA Advisory Committee. There is more we can do to drive our point across. Be watching for further action steps.
We will drive him out!
References
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
