News / Profession

Pro-Chiropractic Associations: A Model for the Future

European Chiropractors Create Solidarity with Patients

Editorial Staff

What is a pro-chiropractic association? Why have over 53,000 Danish chiropractic patients joined? How do you establish one in your area?

Pro-chiropractic associations (PCAs) are organizations of chiropractic patients and supporters that band together to lobby for their rights and those of their chiropractors. They have been formed throughout Europe: Cyprus, Denmark, England, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Switzerland are all members of the European Federation of Pro Chiropractic Associations (EFPC).

If we assume that the average chiropractor treats at least 500 patients each year, that equates to almost 28 million chiropractic patients worldwide (approximately 26 million in the United States). Who protects these patients' rights to choose a chiropractic doctor instead of a medical doctor? Who speaks for them in the halls of Parliament and Congress? Who will stand up for them if they do not stand up for themselves?

These are the issues that have given birth to the European Federation of Pro Chiropractic Associations. Denmark developed the prototype organization back in 1922, but the EFPC not was not founded until a 1966 meeting in Paris. At that time, the EFPC president was the late Erik Sabroe of Denmark, who paid all the expenses of the federation out of his own pocket. The Danish Pro Chiropractic Assoc. now has over 53,000 members; the most recent PCA was created in Finland.

The pro-chiropractic Associations produce pamphlets, posters, magazines and videos extolling the value of chiropractic care. They have lobbyists who meet with legislators and government officials on issues of licensure and scope of practice. They share information and work with the members of the European Pro Chiropractic Associations.

EFPC, which had not had a meeting in a number of years, had a bit of a rebirth with a meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark in November, 1993. EFPC's 1993 renaissance has resulted in several long-range goals:

to promote chiropractic in Europe to allow all people access, if needed, to qualified chiropractic care;
to establish and develop common interests;
to support and assist national pro-chiropractic associations in their work for recognition of chiropractic;
to create solidarity between patients and chiropractors in Europe by promoting their mutual interests.

The federation has stressed that it will not interfere in the activities of any established national chiropractic professional association. EFPC will only join in a national association's work if it is invited, and EFPC will only act on decisions that are reached by consensus or by a qualified majority.

Other countries are hoping to create their own PCAs, but know it will require a dedicated individual. For those interested in establishing a pro-chiropractic association in their country, province or community, EFPC president Ann-Liss Taarup of Denmark has this comment: "Look for a person in your own family. Do like they have done in Germany, Finland, Italy and elsewhere: choose a wife, husband, sister, father, etc., of a chiropractor."

Because of the different licensing laws among European nations, the PCAs work differently with the national chiropractic associations. In some countries, the law puts DCs on a level equivalent to MDs; in France, chiropractors are still being charged with practicing medicine without a license.

The next meeting of the EFPCA will coincide with the meeting of the European Chiropractic Union on May 8-10, 1997 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (see front page article in this issue of the ECU meeting). This will give representatives of the European chiropractic associations and the pro-chiropractic associations a chance to exchange ideas and work together for the good of chiropractors and chiropractic patients throughout Europe.

European Federation of Pro-Chiropractic Associations

Note: It you're calling from the U.S., you must dial the international access code (011) first, then the numbers listed below.

Denmark

Nikolai Pedersen, president
Landsforeningen
Kiropraktikkens Fremme
Under Elmene 7A, 2300 S
Copenhagen, Denmark
Tel: 45 31 575655
Fax: 45 31 570434

France

Philippe Richon, DC
12 Quai Eugene Perrier
51000 Chalons-Sur-Marne, France
Tel./Fax: 33 26 68 13 42

Finland

Semo Valli, president
Finnish Pro-Chiropractic Assoc.
Paanakedonkatu 12
28100 Pori, Finland
Tel: 358 2 6338028

Germany

Holger Paris, president
Vereinigung der Freunde und Patienten
der Chiropractic in Deutschland
Bohlweg 24, 38100 Braunschweig
Germany
Tel: 49 531 144206
Fax: 49 531 144287

Great Britain

Penny Copland-Griffiths, president
Chiropractic Advancement Assoc.
Trowle House, Wingfield
Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 9LE
England
Tel: 44 1225 752199
Fax: 44 1225 769842

Italy

Louise Pellissier, president
Associazione Italiana Pro-Chiropratica
Piazza Principe Tomaso 5
11017 Morgex (AO), Italy
Tel: 39 165 800287

Netherlands

Ms. Carolien van Poecke, president
Voorende 22
7213 XZ Gorssel
The Netherlands
Tel: 31 575 492728
Fax: 31 575 494568

Spain

Andrea Duque, president
Associacion Pro-Quiropractica de Espana
Estrecho de Corea 22
28027 Madrid, Spain
Tel: 34 551-9199
Fax: 34 321-3119

Switzerland

Ernst Kistler, president
Swiss Pro-Chiropractic Assoc.
Postfach 160
5200 Brugg, Switzerland
Tel: 41 56 4415241
Fax: 41 56 4422094

Officers of the EFPCA

President: Ann-Liss Taarup (Denmark)
Vice President: Heinrich Buchbinder (Switzerland)
Secretary: Louise Pellissier (Italy)
Treasurer: Elke Nimbach (Germany)

For more information on the EFPC and its upcoming meeting, contact Ms. Taarup by phone/fax at (011) 45 39 400540. She can also be reached by writing to:

Ms. Ann-Liss Taarup
President, EFPC
Frederikkevej 2A
Hellerup 2900
Copenhagen, Denmark

February 1997