articles
Keeping chiropractic research a secret
by
Dr. Matthew McCoy
John D. Rockefeller was right when
he said: "I know
of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes
all of the hours of the waking day to the making of money
for money's sake." In a way, the same can be true of
those who devote their efforts to research for research's
sake. I know that may sound blasphemous coming from a researcher,
but the fact is, research has to be used for something worthwhile
if it is to have any value at all.
In the early 1960s, European researchers reported that
the drug thalidomide, used as a sleeping pill, caused birth
defects. The research was published in respected medical journals,
yet that's not what caused the drug to be taken off the market.
The research, in and of itself, was useless even though published
in well known publications. In fact, even after the research
was published, Canada continued to distribute thalidomide
to pregnant women. It wasn't until others read the report,
publicized it to the public, and acted upon it that the drug
was withdrawn.
Clearly, having research is the first step in
the process. But after that, the research has to be put into
practice by doctors, and shared with the public before its
true potential as an agent of change can be realized.
This is
particularly true of chiropractic, since our critics continue
their campaign to suppress any positive news about our profession
while sensationalizing anything that might hurt it.
That's why
our research journals must intensify their efforts to publicize
news of chiropractic research both within the profession and
to the public at large. This is no easy task, given the media's
pro-medicine bias (dictated by the billions
of dollars they make each year in pharmaceutical advertising).
It's very difficult to get newspapers and the broadcast media
to listen to and cover news about research showing chiropractic's
benefits. But it can be done.
We've had a number of success
stories to bear out this contention.
Look at the remarkable
coverage the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR)
generated over the report by Madeline Behrendt, DC, on chiropractic
and infertility. The report, "Insult, Interference and Infertility: An Overview
of Chiropractic Research," reviewed 14 retrospective
articles on the possible effect of spinal problems on fertility.
All of the women in these studies were found to have vertebral
subluxations and all became pregnant after their subluxations
were detected and corrected.
A press release was sent to all
major news media and wire services and within days the story
began appearing on Internet sites, in newspapers, and as
the subject of a syndicated television news segment. Dr.
Behrendt was contacted by numerous reporters for interviews
and additional information.
Previously, a research article published
in JVSR about the potential for subluxation correction to stimulate
a reversal of symptoms for patients with Multiple Sclerosis
and Parkinson's Disease, generated equally impressive coverage.
A press release on the research results was quickly picked
up by major news media, including Reuters wire service. The
news was relayed to newspapers and television stations around
the world, and the story showed up in a wide array of media.
Viewers
watching CNN saw the headline scroll by on the late breaking
news crawl, readers saw all the details in The Washington Post,
Internet browsers found the story on sites as varied as the
National Institutes of Health's MEDLINE and the Armenian Medical
Network. Yahoo! News featured the story and it even appeared
on the Merck pharmaceutical company's website.
Within days,
millions of people were exposed to information about chiropractic
and how correction of subluxations might result in an improvement
or reversal MS and PD.
JVSR continues to publicize its research,
looking for ways to raise public awareness, not only of the
benefits of subluxation correction but of the scientific basis
for chiropractic.
A few other chiropractic research publications
and groups also recognize the need for publicity. RCS (Research & Clinical
Science), for instance, retains a professional communication
company to write press releases and submit them to major
wire services. It realizes as much as we do at JVSR that
even the most remarkable results won't help the profession
or the world if they remain merely words printed on a page
or computer screen.
That's one major reason why I encourage
all researchers (including field doctors who wish to report
case history studies) to submit their work to chiropractic
journals rather than medical journals. It might sound more
impressive to have your paper published in the Medical Pain
Relief Journal but will they actively publicize your work if
it puts chiropractic in a positive light? Probably not.
According
to one paper published by the Congressional Research Service,
an arm of the Library of Congress, "Due to
medical journal practices and drug sponsor and researcher
incentives to publicize positive results, many trials with
inconclusive or negative results are not publicly reported." It's
very unlikely that any research which shows chiropractic
to be effective would be considered "positive" to
the medical and drug community. The result would be that
the research will sit silent and ignored while news of the
latest drug "breakthrough" gets the headlines.
We
can't allow chiropractic research to be kept secret. We have
to stop hiding our light under the bushel! We must make sure
research is not only published, but publicized.
(Dr. Matthew
McCoy is one of the founding members of the Council on Chiropractic
Practice and has been instrumental in the development of the
profession's most widely accepted set of chiropractic guidelines.
He's also editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research
and has extensive practice, research and educational experience.
He gained international acclaim when he helped introduce chiropractic
to the Russian medical community by developing a chiropractic
spine treatment, teaching & research center in Vladivostok,
Russia. He is currently the Director of Research at Life University.
Dr. McCoy is Vice-President of RCS, serves as a member of
the WCA Board of Directors, chairs the WCA Chiropractic Advocacy
Council and was a liaison member of the National Academy
of Sciences and Institute of Medicine's Committee on Alternative
Medicine. He can be contacted via e-mail at editor@jvsr.com)
Terry
Rondberg, DC, has been named as the acting Chief Executive
Officer of Research & Clinical Science, Inc. ("RCS")
and will assume day to day operations and management.