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Chiropractic & Manual Therapies
Published in: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Commentary

The Five Eras of Chiropractic & the future of chiropractic as seen through the eyes of a participant observer

Author: J Keith Simpson

Published in: Chiropractic & Manual Therapies | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Chiropractic has endured a turbulent history, marked by tremendous advances in areas such as education and licensing while marred by interprofessional conflict and a poor public image. The prolonged interprofessional conflict was instrumental in shaping the culture of chiropractic. These obstacles have long-since been removed although there are lingering effects from them.
This article examines the chiropractic profession's history by dividing it into five Eras and suggests that there are three options available for the future of the profession. One: maintaining the status quo. Two: uniting under an evidence based scientific approach as partners in the health care delivery system that has buried the "one-cause, one-cure" sacred cow. The steps required to achieve this outcome are outlined. Three: openly dividing the profession into evidence based practitioners and subluxation based practitioners. Adopting this option would allow each branch of the profession to move forward in the health care delivery system unhindered by the other.
It is unclear which option the profession will choose and whether the profession is mature enough to follow option two remains to be seen. What is evident is that the time to act is now.
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Metadata
Title
The Five Eras of Chiropractic & the future of chiropractic as seen through the eyes of a participant observer
Author
J Keith Simpson
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Chiropractic & Manual Therapies / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 2045-709X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/2045-709X-20-1

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