Executive Committee Formed

Bruce Vaughan, DC, secretary-treasurer of the World Fereration of Chiropractic, and a member of the Hong Kong Council, was named to the executive committee that is working to build an Asian Chiropractic Federation.

TOKYO -- One of the more significant events of the 1997 World Chiropractic Congress in Tokyo was a meeting of the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) to explore the development of an Asian Chiropractic Federation. Attending that meeting were representatives of national Asian chiropractic associations from these countries:

Country	# of DCs
Japan	55
Hong Kong	41
Korea	24
Taiwan	10
Singapore	10
Thailand	8
Philippines	6

Asian countries not represented at the meeting:

Malaysia	6
Brunei	1
Indonesia	(none known)

Also attending the meeting were representatives from Australia, Canada, and the U.S.

The Asian representatives voiced a number of problems, most notably the lack of chiropractic legislation. In Asia, only Hong Kong has legislation that has established and protected the practice of chiropractic. With Hong Kong once again part of China, no one knows the extent of transformation the former British colony will undergo. For now, Hong Kong's chiropractic laws are expected to remain in effect.

Also noted were the difficulties brought on by foreign chiropractors, mostly U.S. DCs who come to a country without chiropractic laws and try to practice under a visitor's visa. The visiting DCs have even offered their own "chiropractic technique" seminars to non-chiropractors. With all the challenges for the chiropractic profession in Asia, the Asian DCs expressed that such practices have caused them to suffer serious embarrassment.

One can only imagine the hurdles involved in establishing a recognized chiropractic profession in countries where traditional bonesetters and MD manipulators outnumber DCs 300 to 1. With DCs in Asian countries sharing many of the same problems, developing a federated Asian chiropractic group will provide a forum for discussion and a show place for solutions to common challenges.

The chiropractic associations from Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines chose a representative to begin working on the formation of a formal organization. An executive committee was selected:

Dr. Corky Makagaki (Japan)
Dr. Seung Won Lee (Korea)
Dr. Janet Sosna (Singapore)
Dr. Bruce Vaughan (Hong Kong)

The growth and development of an established chiropractic profession in Asia is clearly an important component in establishing chiropractic worldwide. With Asia holding more than half of the world's population, the potential for chiropractic is staggering. But like the chiropractic pioneers of the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, today's Asian DCs will no doubt have to sacrifice much for future chiropractors and their patients. It will be our job to remain prepared to assist them as needed.