Costa Rica: This is one of two countries in Central America [Panama is the other] with legislation to regulate the practise of chiropractic. Under the law, there is to be established a "colegio" that will be responsible for developing the requirements for the legal right to practise as a chiropractor. These requirements will include the need to have the chiropractor's qualifications and degree recognised by the University of Costa Rica.
One U.S. trained chiropractor has achieved this recognition; many of the approximately 30 graduates of accredited colleges now practicing in Costa Rica are in the process of securing this recognition.
Apart from the registration process for chiropractors in Costa Rica, the government has indicated an intent to tighten its overview of all persons holding "health permits." Chiropractors in Costa Rica are affected but not targeted in this regard. This will be of greater impact on the local lay manipulators in Costa Rica who assert they practise as chiropractors.
Cuba: Dr. Rupert Molloy of the U.K.-based Chiropractic Overseas Relief (CORe) project, which provides the only chiropractic services in Cuba, reports that its sixth year has brought continuing success. Chiropractic services have been provided throughout the year on the Isle of Youth, Cuba, by 15 chiropractic volunteers from Australia; Canada; France; Holland; New Zealand; and the United Kingdom.
The immediate goal of the CORe project is to provide chiropractic care for the local population, and the CORe chiropractic clinic has become an established part of the local health care community. The long-term goal is to provide a basis for development of a chiropractic profession in Cuba. More chiropractors are always needed to volunteer their professional services; for more information, please visit www.chiropracticoverseas.org.
Egypt: In addition to being a member of the Egyptian Chiropractic Association, Dr. Hany El Bibany of Cairo, the only chiropractor in residence and practicing in Egypt, has supported the WFC for three years as an associate member. Thank you, Dr. El Bibany.
In a recent communication with the WFC, Dr. El Bibany expressed concern at the number of physical therapists in Egypt who are now claiming that they deliver chiropractic services. There is no law to prevent this and to regulate the practice of chiropractic in Egypt. Similar complaints have been heard from other countries during the past year, and this simply serves to emphasize the importance - both for the public and the profession - of the work to gain legislation regulating the practice of chiropractic in all countries as soon as possible.
Italy: As previously reported, in May, Italy's national medical association, the National Federation for the Orders of Doctors and Dentists (FNOMCEO) made public its stance that nine forms of "alternative medicine," including chiropractic and osteopathy, were recognized forms of health care but "must be considered a medical act in every respect ... thus they must be practiced exclusively by [medical doctors]." This militant stance created what has widely been viewed as the most significant legislative battle worldwide for the chiropractic profession this year.
A major breakthrough in negotiations has recently been achieved. At a meeting in Rome on Dec. 10, 2002, called by Italian legislators and attended by approximately 600 stakeholders from the health care community, it was proposed that there should be legislation to recognize chiropractic and osteopathy as separate and distinct professions, with the other seven forms of "alternative medicine" legislated as part of medical practice. Significantly, FNOMCEO acknowledged its acceptance of this compromise and solution.
It is too early yet to celebrate, because there is still much work to be done. However, the chiropractic world already owes a huge debt of gratitude to Associazione Italiana Chiropractici (AIC) President Dr. Eddy Pellisser and his AIC members for their outstanding campaign. Others who attended the Dec. 10 meeting in Rome, at the invitation of the AIC to support chiropractic interests, included leaders of the European Chiropractors' Union and WFC First Vice President Dr. Anthony Metcalfe. Dr. Metcalfe, who also serves as the European representative on the WFC Council, made a presentation describing the independent status of chiropractic under legislation throughout the world.
Norway: Stavanger, Norway, was the location of this year's annual meeting of the Cochrane Collaboration, the international network that provides authoritative reviews of the scientific evidence on the safety and effectiveness of all health care treatments. The WFC, with financial support from the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association, sponsored the attendance of Dr. Gert Bronfort from Northwestern Health Sciences University. Dr. Bronfort and others have been chosen by the Collaboration to complete a systematic review of the evidence for noninvasive treatments for chronic headaches, including spinal manipulation and mobilization. The meeting took place July 31 - Aug. 2, 2002.
World Health Organization Update
After five years developing an international treaty on tobacco control, the World Health Organization (WHO) will place the draft Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) before its Assembly the week of May 19-23, 2003. The WHO has sought the assistance of its affiliated NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) in this major policy initiative to reduce smoking and its serious adverse impact on health, and the WFC has assisted in various ways. Two current steps are:
- Attendance at the International Negotiating Body (INB) meetings in Geneva that have developed the draft FCTC. WFC representatives Dr. Medhat Alattar and Dr. Gary Auerbach attended the 5th International Negotiating Body meeting (INB5) in Geneva in October 2002, and will also attend INB6 in Geneva in February. Our thanks to them and their co-sponsoring institutions, Life University and Palmer University.
- Development of the WFC policy in support of the FCTC and its goals. At the recommendation of WFC's Health-for-All Committee, chaired by Dr. Rand Baird, the following proposed policy will come before the WFC Council and Assembly in Orlando; if approved, it will be communicated to the WHO during its Assembly two weeks later:
"
Whereas it is now well-established by international scientific evidence that smoking tobacco, the use of other tobacco products, and exposure to secondhand smoke are among the most serious and pervasive, but preventable threats to individual and public health.
"And whereas the World Health Organization is responding to this threat by establishing a program of action known as the Tobacco Free Initiative, including the development of a Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, for which the WHO is seeking support from all stakeholders in the health care community.
"And whereas the World Federation of Chiropractic has supported the WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative since its inception in 1998, and now wishes to further strengthen that support.
"Therefore, it is resolved that the World Federation of Chiropractic endorses and supports the World Health Organization's Tobacco Free Initiative and proposed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The WFC considers that this Initiative and Convention are of major importance to developing the coordinated, worldwide effort necessary to reduce the use of tobacco products and the serious, preventable and unacceptable harm such use causes to human health. Additionally, the World Federation of Chiropractic encourages its member associations and others to take all steps possible toward the reduction of use of tobacco products, thereby improving individual and public health and supporting the goal of WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative.
"Explanatory Notes:
- "One of the World Health Organization's major public policy initiatives, commenced in May 1998, is the Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) to reduce smoking and the harmful effects of the use of tobacco products on human health. "An important component of the TFI is development of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), an international treaty to be signed by member states and dealing comprehensively with all aspects of tobacco control - including supply, advertising, sales, taxation, advocacy, public health information, etc."
- Development of the FCTC has been through a process of stakeholder meetings in Geneva called the International Negotiating Board (INB) meetings. The WFC has been an active participant at these meetings. A final meeting is scheduled for February 2003, and the treaty is to be put to WHO's annual assembly, known as the World Health Assembly, in Geneva next May, two weeks after the WFC Congress in Orlando.* "WHO has called for all member nations and all NGOs to support this important initiative. That is the reason why this policy is proposed. WFC's Health-for-All Committee is developing further specific tobacco policies, and [members] will receive notice of these by February 28, 2003.)
Dr. Haldeman Appointed BJD Ambassador To draw attention to the prevalence and importance of bone and joint disorders, and to attract a larger share of funds for research, the current decade has been declared "Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010" by the United Nations, among others. Many chiropractic national associations belong to the BJD National Action Network in their respective countries.
The International Steering Committee for the BJD 2000-2010, chaired by professor Lars Lidgren (Sweden), has created a BJD Ambassador Program to recognise and honour global and national thought leaders in the musculoskeletal patient and health professional communities as BJD ambassadors. These ambassadors are responsible for promoting the mission of the BJD within their countries and making recommendations to the committee.
In October 2002, on the nomination of the WFC, Scott Haldeman, MD, DC, PhD, chair of the WFC Research Council, was appointed a BJD ambassador, joining a select group of 24 individuals worldwide. Congratulations go to Dr. Haldeman on this richly deserved honor. In support of its nomination, the WFC provided commentary on Dr. Haldeman's achievements, including the following:
"The WFC has voted to nominate Dr. Haldeman for the position of a BJD Ambassador on the basis that, among other qualifications, he is the most respected researcher ever produced by the chiropractic profession. Interprofessionally, he is widely regarded as the global thought leader in clinical and research aspects of spinal manipulative theory.
"Dr. Haldeman has contributed to research on the neurological mechanisms, diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of disorders of the spine for over 30 years. He is currently Clinical Professor, Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Research, Southern California University of Health Sciences. He is [also] chairman of the research council of the World Federation of Chiropractic, and past president of the North American Spine Society.
"Notably, in this context, he has been appointed President of The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders, [which] has a 5-year contract to conduct original research, perform a detailed systematic review of the literature and develop recommendations on the diagnosis and management of patients with neck pain. This taskforce, which has Ake Nygren, MD, PhD, DDS, of Sweden as its vice-president, has many global leaders on its Executive and Advisory Board[s]."
For more information on the BJD, visit www.boneandjointdecade.org.
- The World Federation of Chiropractic will convene its 7th Biennial Congress at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., May 1-3, 2003. The main theme of the event is "Management of the Cervical Spine," with a secondary theme of "Sports Chiropractic." The current event program includes lectures; technique workshops; seminars; grand rounds; a mock trial; and original research presentations.
For more information or to register for the WFC 7th Biennial Congress, visit
www.chiroweb.com/wfcorlando2003, or contact the WFC directly:
World Federation of Chiropractic
5065-3080 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON, Canada M4N3N1
Tel: (416) 484-9978
Fax: (416) 484-9665
E-mail: congress@wfc.org
