Karin F. Moscatelli, DC
What you are about to read will seem like ancient chiropractic history in North America.
It is, however, modern history on the European Continent.
In the early 1980s, a small group of astute men and women recognized the fact that the only port of entry to recognition of the chiropractic profession in France lay in the establishment of a school controlled by the profession. Also, with the possibility of a law regulating chiropractic came the age-old realization that autonomy of chiropractic teaching could only be dispensed in an independent institution. This is critical in France where "manipulation" is already taught in medical schools to doctors who can go out and call themselves "chiropractors."
In order to not be reduced to the level of a technician, and in order to remain a prime contact practitioner responsible for his diagnosis, these pioneers began the painful steps through the laws of privately controlled higher education to establish "L'Institut Francais de Chiropractie." Now, since the non-profit French Institute has proven its capacity to function since December 1983, it can substantially influence any legislative discussions as the demands for recognition become omni-present by our own efforts, by public demand, and by the new European situation to be created in 1992.
Only a short six years later, we have outgrown our humble rented beginnings in downtown Paris. The newly created European Board of Chiropractic Education hovers with a mindful eye over the physical plant in order to be able to accredit the institute by the CCE -- Europe (equivalent to the CCE -- U.S.), a necessary step to true acceptance in the chiropractic community. However, the French economic situation does not allow much leeway for venture at present.
And yet, the French Institute of Chiropractic must live. It must be our life insurance to survival -- the survival of chiropractic in all its forms, in France and in Europe.
