One would think that during a global pandemic such as COVID-19, participation in any international organization, chiropractic or otherwise, might stay static as countries focused on their own internal states of affairs. Not in the case of the World Federation of Chiropractic, which reports the addition of four new national associations and the return of one former association, bringing the WFC's country representation to 94 – it's highest total ever.
The new national members, whose applications were reviewed and approved unanimously at the WFC's recent annual member meeting (the first such meeting held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic), are:
Colegio Nacional del Licenciedos en Quiropràctica (representing Mexico)
In addition, the New Zealand Chiropractors Association returned to the WFC as a full national member following a four-month hiatus, also receiving a unanimous vote regarding its application.
Commenting on the latest additions to the federation's national representation following the virtual meeting, WFC Secretary-General Richard Brown, DC, said:
"I'm delighted that we're able to [welcome] new members from around the world. Bringing in new members to the WFC is consistent with our vision of a world where everyone may enjoy universal access to chiropractic so that populations may thrive and reach their full potential.
"Africa in particular is the most underserved region of the WFC when it comes to chiropractic. Huge parts of the continent have little or no access to any form of healthcare at all. Developing chiropractic in Africa, where the need for evidence-based, sustainable, affordable spine care is so great, is one of the WFC's priorities. While our new associations are very small, we owe it to these courageous pioneers to support, empower and advance the profession."
Building on a historic March 2026 meeting between Make America Healthy Again and chiropractic leadership, MAHA has announced the launch of the MAHA Chiropractic Hub, “a coordinated national partnership uniting MAHA Center, MAHA Action, and the chiropractic profession, including national associations, state organizations, practitioners, educators, researchers, and patient advocates. The Chiropractic Hub will advance federal policy, expand patient access, and build broad public support for chiropractic care across America.”
The chiropractic profession is confronting one of the most significant federal regulatory threats it has faced in decades. A new U.S. Department of Education (ED) accountability framework – commonly referred to as the “Do No Harm” (DNH) regulation – could place many chiropractic programs at risk of losing access to federal financial aid (student loans), potentially reshaping the future of chiropractic education and workforce development across the United States.
Pain has become the dominant language of musculoskeletal healthcare. Numeric pain-rating scales and symptom reports are routinely used as primary indicators of clinical success. But while pain reduction is meaningful, it is an incomplete and often misleading representation of recovery. This has real consequences for patient adherence, long-term outcomes, and how conservative care is perceived within the broader healthcare system.
