INTERNATIONAL CHIROPRACTORS ASSOCIATION

Dr. DeSpain told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday that, he was looking forward to the challenge of restoring public confidence in the Marietta university, which lost accreditation of its chiropractic program in October after a failed appeal. "I've been blessed with the demeanor and the skills to function at a higher level of efficiency in a crisis situation," he said. "The mission is to not only survive this crisis, but move on to bigger and better things in the future." The university annually contributes about $150 million to the Cobb County economy. Dr. DeSpain said he planned to meet with students on Friday, November 22^nd and visit the campus frequently before beginning full-time in January. His career goal, he said, was to become a university president. He spent more than 20 years in public school administration as principal or superintendent, before moving into university positions eight years ago. DeSpain holds a master's degree in education from Arkansas State University and a doctorate of education from the University of Memphis, with an emphasis in community college and higher education administration. He was raised on a farm in the Ozarks region of Missouri. " ICA has extended its congratulations to the new Life President and has offered all assistance and cooperation as he works to rebuild that historic and important educational institution.

ICA PROTESTS CONTINUED CHIROPRACTIC BASHING IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: ICA has written a strong letter of protest and has asked for a meeting with the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal in response to another strongly biased and damaging article about chiropractic that appeared in the November 19^th edition of that publication. Over the past years, the publication has carried damaging articles about chiropractic often timed to appear at key moments in the legislative calendar and at other times that appear to be calculated to undercut chiropractic efforts in the public policy process or in the court of public opinion. Echoing standard anti-chiropractic themes, this article once again cites exaggerated risks, describes chiropractic procedures as "scientifically unproven," and states without qualification that, "many...are leery of chiropractic, viewing it as quackery".

The Wall Street Journal management has either been unwittingly used in a damaging, anti-competitive attack on chiropractic, or has editorially taken sides with chiropractic's critics or competitors. Either way, ICA has asked for the opportunity to discuss this matter, with a view towards ending the regular appearance of biased, misleading and intentionally frightening articles about the chiropractic profession that have no anchor in the facts. The article warns the public to "Beware of anyone who performs x-rays, which are generally not helpful in diagnosing the types of ailments that chiropractic can treat", a statement which is simply false, and also recommends that anyone interested in seeing a chiropractor check with the National Association for Chiropractic Medicine. ICA is particularly concerned about the referral to an all but non-existent group for chiropractic services since this supposed organization does not publish its membership lists and is reported to consist of only a tiny handful, perhaps less than 100, of the more than 50,000 doctors of chiropractic active in the United States alone.

No mainstream chiropractic organization was contacted to obtain hard data or another view of chiropractic science and practice, and it appears clear that the intent of the author was to demean chiropractic and warn consumers away from seeking chiropractic care. ICA as well as other established chiropractic organizations have, on numerous previous occasions, offered to provide information and comment on chiropractic related stories to The Wall Street Journal. Choosing to uncritically accept the biased slant put forward by a sham group, the paper has once again called into question its objectivity and the quality of its reporting. ICA urges all other organizations in the chiropractic profession, as well as individual practitioners, to make their voices heard in protest against this sort of unsupportable, prejudicial and hurtful media abuse. The full text of ICA's letter to The Wall Street Journal is available at www.chiropractic.org.

NEXT CHIROPRACTIC VETERANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD DECEMBER 4^th-5^th IN WASHINGTON, DC: The November 15^th edition of The Federal Register, the official business journal of the federal government, has published an announcement of the next Department of Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Advisory Committee Meeting. This meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 4^th from 8:00 am 12:30, PM, and Thursday, December 5^th, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at the Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Room 230, Washington, D.C. 20420. The meeting is open to the public. According to The Federal Register:

On December 4, the Committee will discuss chiropractic education, training, licensure and techniques. On December 5, the Committee will receive an update on matters pending from the September 2002 meeting; begin discussion of scope of chiropractic services; and if time permits, begin discussion of services to be provided in the VA chiropractic program. Any member of the public wishing to attend the meeting is requested to contact Ms. Sara McVicker, RN, MN, Committee Manager at (202) 273-8558, by noon on December 3, 2002, in order to facilitate entry into the building. No time will be allocated at this meeting for receiving oral presentations from the public. However, the Committee will accept written comments from interested parties on issues affecting the development and implementation of the chiropractic program within the VA. It is preferred that such comments be transmitted electronically to the Committee at sara.mcvicker@mail.va.gov or mailed to: Chiropractic Advisory Committee, Primary and Ambulatory Care SHG, (112) U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20420.

ICA looks forward to a continuation of the positive dialogue and planning that the Committee started at its first meeting and is standing by to support and assist the chiropractic members of the Committee in any possible manner as they continue their important mission.

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AIR FORCE PUBLICATION REPORTS EIGHT BASES TO ADD CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES: (From The Air Force Print News)

Eight Air Force medical treatment facilities have added chiropractic to their list of services, and others will follow suit in the future. Chiropractic became available to the Air Force in 1995, after Congress directed the Department of Defense to test the feasibility of providing that service at its facilities... "Over the next five years we will gradually increase the availability of chiropractic services across the Air Force," said Lt. Col. (Dr.) Robert Manaker. "A similar thing is happening across the Army and the Navy. This is a tri-service program. If your military medical treatment facility has no chiropractor, your primary-care provider can still refer you to a chiropractor at another military facility in the local area that has one," the doctor said. Currently, the eight Air Force medical treatment facilities that offer chiropractic services to active duty members include facilities at Lackland AFB, Texas; Offutt AFB, Neb.; Travis AFB, Calif.; Scott AFB, Ill.; Keesler AFB, Miss.; Andrews AFB, Md.; Langley AFB, Va.; and the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. "The Air Force is working to increase the number of facilities offering the service," Manaker said...The Air Force is hiring chiropractors to work in areas with the largest Air Force populations first, Manaker said. By 2007, the majority of Air Force active-duty members should have access to a chiropractor either at their own base or at a base nearby.

ICA is deeply concerned over protocols that require a medical referral for chiropractic services in the military and other limitations that stand as barriers to quality care. These issues will be a top priority for ICA in the upcoming Congressional session. For the full text of the story go to: http://www.dcmilitary.com/airforce/beam/7_45/national_news/20296-1.html or call ICA at 1-800-423-4690.

DATES TO REMEMBER: Annual Conference on Chiropractic Pediatrics, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 22-24th, 2002; Certification in Chiropractic Spinal Trauma (CCST) program kickoff, January 18-19th, 2003, with Dr. Dan Murphy, Las Vegas, Nevada; New Era in Whiplash & Spinal Trauma Part I with Dr. Dan Murphy, December 7-8^th, San Jose, California, January 11-12, 2003 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and January 25-26^th, Houston, Texas; 11th Annual ICA Symposium on Natural Fitness Featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, February 28th-March 2^nd, 2003, Columbus, Ohio.