British Chiropractic Association

Last updated
British Chiropractic Association
AbbreviationBCA
PredecessorChiropractors’ Association of the British Isles
Formation1925
Headquarters59 Castle Street
Reading
Berkshire
Location
Coordinates 51°27′09″N0°58′36″W / 51.4526°N 0.9767°W / 51.4526; -0.9767
President
Tim Button
CEO
Cait Allen
Website chiropractic-uk.co.uk

The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) was founded in 1925 and represents over 50% of UK chiropractors. [1] It is the largest and longest established association for chiropractors in the United Kingdom. [2] The BCA have implemented campaigns regarding awareness of many modern technologies and the injuries that can result from them, such as RSI from smartphone and laptop use. [3] [4]

Contents

History

Chiropractic first emerged in Britain in the years before World War I, but a formal association of chiropractors in the United Kingdom did not exist until 1922, when the Chiropractors’ Association of the British Isles held its first meeting in Belfast. This was a short-lived organisation but, in 1925, another association of chiropractors was formed; the British Chiropractors’ Association. [5]

The association began with fewer than 20 members but, despite this, an insurance scheme was set in place for its membership. In the ensuing years, the BCA gradually developed to take the form that it does today. When the British Chiropractic Association announced the purchase of premises in Bournemouth for the establishment of a chiropractic college in 1964, the number of chiropractors practising in the UK was quite small. [6] The opening of the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, in 1965, led to a steady increase in the numbers of chiropractors in the UK and, in 2010, there were more than 1,300 practicing members and over 600 student members. Today, members have practices spanning the whole of the United Kingdom and BCA members are graduates of 20 different internationally accredited chiropractic educational institutions. The association only accepts into membership graduates of a Chiropractic degree course validated by a member of the Council of Chiropractic Education International (CCEI). Individual applicants must also ensure their course meets the requirements of the UK regulator, the General Chiropractic Council. The association provides a wide range of services for members and as an information source for the public. The association celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2005.

European Chiropractors Union / World Federation of Chiropractic

The BCA was a founder member of the European Chiropractors' Union (ECU) [7] in 1932. The first President of the ECU was Charles Bannister, a British Chiropractor. [8]

Since then, the association has remained prominently active within the ECU and has been key to the establishment and development of chiropractic education and the chiropractic profession in Europe. When the World Federation of Chiropractic [9] was formed in 1988, the British Chiropractic Association was a founder member and important contributor in the federation’s development.

Libel case against Simon Singh

In July 2008, the BCA issued libel proceedings against Simon Singh, who has specialised in writing about mathematical and scientific topics, for writing in The Guardian newspaper and website that the association was promoting 'bogus treatments'. [10] In his article, Singh questioned the BCA's claims that chiropractic treatment "can help treat children with colic, sleeping and feeding problems, frequent ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying". [11] The BCA asked Singh to retract his allegations because they were "factually wrong, defamatory and damaging to the BCA’s reputation". [12] After the BCA won a preliminary court ruling in May 2009, Singh announced in June 2009 that he intended to appeal against the ruling, [13] and on 14 October 2009 Singh was granted leave to appeal. [14] On 29 October 2009, Times Higher Education reported that Singh had won the right to appeal against the preliminary ruling on "meaning" in the case. Singh responded to the judgement that it was the "best possible result" but warned that he would try not to get his hopes up. "We have only won leave to appeal. Now we must convince the Court of Appeal on the issue of meaning. There is a long battle ahead." [15] In April 2010, Singh won his court appeal for the right to rely on the defence of fair comment. [16]

An editorial in Nature commented on the case, and stated that although the BCA has said that it believes in open discussions about the evidence base for chiropractic treatments [17] and beliefs, it instead appears to many observers that the association is trying to use libel laws to suppress debate. [18] Sense about Science has been a major supporter of Singh during this case [19] and editorials in BMJ argued that the lawsuit highlights the chilling effects of English libel law on scientific discourse, and free speech. [20]

The backlash to the BCA's libel case has resulted in a lot of coverage in both skeptical and mainstream media, [21] and as such is considered by some to be an example of the Streisand effect. [22]

The publicity produced by the BCA's libel action has led to formal complaints of false advertising being made against more than 500 individual chiropractors within one 24-hour period, when these cases were brought for consideration by the General Chiropractic Council, however, 92% were dismissed with "no case to answer". [23] [24]

On 1 April 2010, Singh won a crucial appeal that allowed him to clarify that what he wrote was an opinion and was thus protected by the defence of "fair comment" in British libel law. [25] In response on 15 April 2010, the BCA officially withdrew its lawsuit, ending the case. [26] The BCA issued a statement the same day outlining their reasons for withdrawing. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiropractic</span> Form of pseudoscientific alternative medicine

Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially of the spine. It has esoteric origins and is based on several pseudoscientific ideas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Singh</span> British physicist and popular science author (born 1964)

Simon Lehna Singh, is a British popular science author, theoretical and particle physicist. His written works include Fermat's Last Theorem, The Code Book, Big Bang, Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial and The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets. In 2012 Singh founded the Good Thinking Society, through which he created the website "Parallel" to help students learn mathematics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Deer</span> British investigative journalist

Brian Deer is a British investigative journalist, best known for inquiries into the drug industry, medicine and social issues for The Sunday Times. Deer's investigative nonfiction book The Doctor Who Fooled the World, an exposé on disgraced former doctor Andrew Wakefield and the 1998 Lancet MMR autism fraud was published in September 2020 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spinal manipulation</span> Intervention performed on spinal joints

Spinal manipulation is an intervention performed on spinal articulations, synovial joints, which is asserted to be therapeutic. These articulations in the spine that are amenable to spinal manipulative therapy include the z-joints, the atlanto-occipital, atlanto-axial, lumbosacral, sacroiliac, costotransverse and costovertebral joints. National guidelines come to different conclusions with respect to spinal manipulation with some not recommending it, and others recommending a short course in those who do not improve with other treatments.

Chiropractic education trains students in chiropractic. The entry criteria, structure, teaching methodology and nature of chiropractic programs offered at chiropractic schools vary considerably around the world. Students are trained in academic areas including scopes of practice, neurology, radiology, microbiology, psychology, ethics, biology, gross anatomy, biochemistry, spinal anatomy and more. Prospective students are also usually trained in clinical nutrition, public health, pediatrics and other health or wellness related areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of chiropractic</span> History of chiropractic

The history of chiropractic began in 1895 when Daniel David Palmer of Iowa performed the first chiropractic adjustment on a partially deaf janitor, Harvey Lillard. Palmer claims to have had principles of chiropractic treatment passed along to him during a seance by a long-dead doctor named Dr. Jim Atkinson. While Lillard was working without his shirt on in Palmer's office, Lillard bent over to empty the trash can. Palmer noticed that Lillard had a vertebra out of position. He asked Lillard what happened, and Lillard replied, "I moved the wrong way, and I heard a 'pop' in my back, and that's when I lost my hearing." Palmer, who was also involved in many other natural healing philosophies, had Lillard lie face down on the floor and proceeded with the adjustment. The next day, Lillard told Palmer, "I can hear that rackets on the streets." This experience led Palmer to open a school of chiropractic two years later. Rev. Samuel H. Weed coined the word "chiropractic" by combining the Greek words cheiro (hand) and praktikos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sense about Science</span> British non-profit organisation

Sense about Science is a United Kingdom charitable organization that promotes the public understanding of science. Sense about Science was founded in 2002 by Lord Taverne, Bridget Ogilvie and others to promote respect for scientific evidence and good science. It was established as a charitable trust in 2003, with 14 trustees, an advisory council and a small office staff. Tracey Brown has been the director since 2002.

Sir David Eady is a retired High Court judge in England and Wales. As a judge, he is known for having presided over many high-profile libel and privacy cases.

Chiropractors use their version of spinal manipulation as their primary treatment method, with non-chiropractic use of spinal manipulation gaining more study and attention in mainstream medicine in the 1980s. There is no evidence that chiropractic spinal adjustments are effective for any medical condition, with the possible exception of treatment for lower back pain. The safety of manipulation, particularly on the cervical spine has been debated. Adverse results, including strokes and deaths, are rare.

Modern libel and slander laws in many countries are originally descended from English defamation law. The history of defamation law in England is somewhat obscure; civil actions for damages seem to have been relatively frequent as far back as the Statute of Gloucester in the reign of Edward I (1272–1307). The law of libel emerged during the reign of James I (1603–1625) under Attorney General Edward Coke who started a series of libel prosecutions. Scholars frequently attribute strict English defamation law to James I's outlawing of duelling. From that time, both the criminal and civil remedies have been found in full operation.

Throughout its history, chiropractic has been the subject of internal and external controversy and criticism. According to magnetic healer Daniel D. Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, "vertebral subluxation" was the sole cause of all diseases and manipulation was the cure for all disease. A 2003 profession-wide survey found "most chiropractors still hold views of Innate Intelligence and of the cause and cure of disease consistent with those of the Palmers". A critical evaluation stated "Chiropractic is rooted in mystical concepts. This led to an internal conflict within the chiropractic profession, which continues today." Chiropractors, including D.D. Palmer, were jailed for practicing medicine without a license. D.D. Palmer considered establishing chiropractic as a religion to resolve this problem. For most of its existence, chiropractic has battled with mainstream medicine, sustained by antiscientific and pseudoscientific ideas such as vertebral subluxation.

<i>Trick or Treatment?</i> 2008 book by Singh and Ernst

Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial is a 2008 book by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. The book evaluates the scientific evidence for alternative medicines such as acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine, and chiropractic, and briefly covers 36 other treatments. It finds that the scientific evidence for these alternative treatments is generally lacking. The authors concluded that homeopathy is merely a placebo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Federation of Chiropractic</span>

The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) (French: La Fédération Mondiale de Chiropratique (FMC); Spanish: La Federación Mundial de Quiropráctica (FMQ)) is an international consulting body representing chiropractic to the international health care community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AECC University College</span>

AECC University College is a specialist university in Bournemouth that offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and short courses in a range of health sciences disciplines.

British Chiropractic Association (BCA) v Singh was an influential libel action in England and Wales, widely credited as a catalytic event in the libel reform campaign which saw all parties at the 2010 general election making manifesto commitments to libel reform, and passage of the Defamation Act 2013 by the British Parliament in April 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Chiropractors Association</span>

The Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA), founded in 1990 as the Chiropractors' Association of Australia (CAA), is the largest association of chiropractors and chiropractic students in Australia.

Various organizations of practicing chiropractors have outlined formal codes of professional ethics. Actual practice has revealed a wide range of behaviors which may or may not conform to these standards.

Sir Andrew George Lindsay Nicol is a retired judge of the High Court of England and Wales.

Peter Wilmshurst is a British medical doctor and successful whistleblower who has been the subject of multiple cases of harassment through vexatious libel actions brought by companies whose products he criticised as ineffective. He has also reported at least twenty doctors to the General Medical Council in the course of two decades of investigating research misconduct.

Anti-vaccinationism in chiropractic is widespread, but there are notable differences within the trade. Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine founded on the idea that all disease is caused by disruption of the flow of "innate" in the spine, by so-called vertebral subluxations – a pseudoscientific concept. Over time chiropractic has divided into "straights" who adhere to the subluxation theory and "mixers" who adhere more closely to a reality-based view of anatomy. "Straight" chiropractors are very likely to be anti-vaccination, but all chiropractic training tends to reduce acceptance of vaccines.

References

  1. ↑ "About Chiropractic". British Chiropractic Association. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  2. ↑ "History of chiropractic". British Chiropractic Association. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  3. ↑ "The latest RSI risk is revealed by Yahoo! and the British Chiropractic Association". Publicasity. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  4. ↑ BCA (11 April 2017). "People Point to Tech as Trigger for their Pain". British Chiropractic Association. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  5. ↑ Hancock E ‘’The European Chiropractor’’ 1933; 2 (3), 5–7
  6. ↑ ’’Bulletin of the European Chiropractor’s Union’’ 1964; 5 (3), 19
  7. ↑ "The European Chiropractors Union". The European Chiropractors Union. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  8. ↑ Minutes of the European Chiropractors Union meetings of Saturday 2 July 1932 and Friday 8 July 1932. ‘’The European Chiropractor’’ 1932; 1 (1), 2–3
  9. ↑ "The World Federation of Chiropractic". The World Federation of Chiropractic. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  10. ↑ Richard Eden (16 August 2008). "Doctors take Simon Singh to court". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  11. ↑ "Beware the spinal trap". Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
  12. ↑ "Update on BCA v Simon Singh" (PDF). British Chiropractic Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  13. ↑ Steve Connor (4 June 2009). "Silenced, the writer who dared to say chiropractice is bogus". Independent. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  14. ↑ Cressey, Daniel (14 October 2009). "Simon Singh vs the British Chiropractic Association, redux". nature.com. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  15. ↑ "News in brief: Singh wins leave to appeal". Times Higher Education. 29 October 2009.
  16. ↑ "Simon Singh wins libel court battle". London: Guardian. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  17. ↑ "chiropractic oxnard". harborlanding health center. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  18. ↑ "Unjust burdens of proof". Nature. 459 (7248): 751. June 2009. Bibcode:2009Natur.459Q.751.. doi: 10.1038/459751a . PMID   19516290.
  19. ↑ "Sense about Science: keep the libel laws out of science". Archived from the original on 3 December 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  20. ↑ BMJ 2009;338:b2254 doi : 10.1136/bmj.b2254
    BMJ 2009;339:b4429 doi : 10.1136/bmj.b4429
    BMJ 2009;339:b2783 doi : 10.1136/bmj.b2783
  21. ↑ Ben Goldacre (29 July 2009). "An intrepid, ragged band of bloggers". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  22. ↑ "Chiropocalypse". Richard Dawkins. Archived from the original on 13 June 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  23. ↑ Lucas Laursen. "The Great Beyond: Chiropractic group advises members to 'withdraw from the battleground'". Nature.com. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  24. ↑ Lucas Laursen. "The Great Beyond: Complaints converge on chiropractors". Nature.com. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  25. ↑ Cressey, Daniel (2010). "Science writer's victory hailed by UK libel reformers". Nature. doi: 10.1038/news.2010.167 . Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  26. ↑ "British Chiropractic Association v Singh – BCA admits defeat". Ely Place. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
  27. ↑ "BCA v. Simon Singh – Press Statement" (PDF). BCA. 15 April 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
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