The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) has announced the formation of aninternational Task Force on Identity, designed to "direct and facilitate an inclusive and comprehensive international consultation with members of the profession and other relevant parties on the public identity of the chiropractic profession." Co-chairsof the task force are Dr. Paul Carey (Canada), WFC president and past presidentof the Canadian Chiropractic Association; Dr. Gerard Clum (U.S.), WFC secondvice president and president of Life Chiropractic College West; and Dr. PeterDixon (U.K.), president of the European Chiropractors' Union and past presidentof the British Chiropractic Association.
According to Dr. Carey, "Recent studies in various countries show that chiropractors and the public remain confused about the core identity of the profession, and that this is a growing and serious problem. In today's small world, identity is an international issue, and the WFC, at the request of its member national associations of chiropractors in 80 countries, is establishing a major task force to lead a broad consultation to address the problem."
"We know some of our WFC member associations are doing good work on this matter of identity in their individual countries, explains Dr. Carey, "but at the WFC's Congress in Orlando this year, everyone agreed that a strong international effort and consensus was now needed."
The 35-member task force will feature broad representation from the chiropractic profession: In addition to the three co-chairs, it will include DCs from the WFC world regions (9); the European Chiropractors' Union (2); and the international academic and research communities, (8). Up to seven other DCs who, individually or on behalf of an organization, express interest in participating in the task force, will also be included, as will one representative of major vendors to the chiropractic profession and five public members.
Once the task force is established in full, members and consultants will review past surveys and research relevant to identity, then meet Feb. 26-28, 2004, at Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, Calif., to approve methods and procedures to be used for the consultation, which will take place during 2004. The task force will report the results of the consultation June 14-15, 2005, at the WFC's 8th Biennial Assembly in Sydney, Australia.
"The WFC understands that this must be a fully open and representative consultation," says Dr. Clum. "Up to seven places on the Task Force will be chosen from chiropractors who - as individuals or on behalf of a college, association or other group - contact the WFC and ask to be on the Task Force."
"This is not about scope of practice, whether we correct subluxations or treat conditions, [or] whether chiropractors should provide certain specific services," adds Dr. Dixon. "It is about reaching agreement on a trademark identity for chiropractic in the eyes of the public and the health care system."
Chiropractors can participate in this historic international process in two ways: by serving on the task force and by completing the survey that will be sent out next year. Requests to serve on the WFC Task Force on Identity must be received by Nov. 30. For more details, visit www.wfc.org or contact WFC Secretariat Gillian Sloane-Seale at gsloane-seale@wfc.org.
