Position Statement Regarding CCBC Amendments (Feb 2021)

The IFCO has become aware of troubling amendments to the College of Chiropractors of British Columbia’s February 2021 Amendments to the Professional Conduct Handbook that were approved by their board.

It is the position of the IFCO that these amendments are in conflict with the salutogenic, vitalistic, and subluxation-centric platform that we support and promote.

The article, and amendments in their entirety can be read here:

CCBC Article

Amendments

Several of these amendments are very concerning to those who practice the art of locating, analyzing, and assisting the body to remove vertebral subluxation in their practices within Canada.

I would like to draw special attention to Part 15.2 that states:

“Routine or repeat X-rays used as a regular protocol during the evaluation and diagnosis of patients are not clinically justified.

This includes a) X-rays to screen for spinal anomalies or serious pathology in the absence of any clinical indication, b) X-rays to diagnose or re-assess spinal conditions in the absence of any clinical indication, and c) X-rays to conduct biomechanical analysis or listings to identify spinal dysfunction, whether called subluxation, fixation or by any other term.

In keeping with the definition of vertebral subluxation, as mentioned in Stephenson’s 1927 text as referenced in Dr. Christopher Kent’s “Models of Vertebral Subluxation: A Review”; it states that the following must be applied for the term vertebral subluxation to be deemed applicable:

• Loss of juxtaposition of a vertebrae with the one above, the one below, or both
• Occlusion of an opening
• Nerve impingement (i.e., altering nerve system function)
• Interference with the transmission of mental impulses

By approving these amendments and limiting a Chiropractor practicing within their jurisdiction’s rights to locate the misalignment and the occlusion component of the vertebral subluxation, the CCBC is directly impacting a chiropractor’s ability to thoroughly detect, locate, and correct vertebral subluxation and to monitor the patient’s progress.

This is a VERY troubling threat to the proper practice of Chiropractic as set forth by the very definition upon which Chiropractic was founded. We are urging all Canadian Chiropractors who are not currently IFCO members to join us through membership so that we collectively can fight back against this unfounded attack on our core principles that hold us as a unique and distinct profession.

We fear this type of rhetoric will eventually make its way into other parts of the world and be used as a precedent for amendment and passage of this language and intent into other associations and organizations.

We urge our members to take this matter very seriously and encourage all Canadians to join the IFCO where their membership will help us to fight back against this threat to our profession.

ADIOs,

Grant Dennis, D.C.

President