March 18, Simcoe, Ont. – Recent efforts, in the state of New Mexico, to expand chiropractic scope of practice to include the ability to prescribe certain drugs have been defeated.

The defeat is the result of vigorous intervention on the part of the International Chiropractic Association (ICA), well-known chiropractic leaders Dr. Guy Reickeman (president of Life University chiropractic program) and Dr. Gerard Clum (recent past president of Life-West), as well as a majority of DCs in New Mexico. Opposition to the premise of adding drug therapies to chiropractic practice also came from DCs from across North America. The controversial bill was voted down by the New Mexico Senate on March 17, 2011.

The New Mexico Chiropractic Association initially introduced the notion, against the profession’s general stance that drug therapies are not aligned with its practice intent to begin with.  Opposition to adding drug therapies stems from the dual notion that drugs are already a leading cause of death and/or serious side-effects – meaning that adding them to care introduces unnecessary risk –  and that, as potential toxins, their use is not congruent with the intentions of natural healing and maintenance of good health that are integral to the chiropractic paradigm.

Major concerns that have reared themselves include why certain groups of chiropractors feel strongly enough that drugs belong within chiropractic to attempt to turn this notion into law as well as the potential that law makers, or even citizen groups, have to drastically influence or change the practice of chiropractic. 

In his “Message of the Week”, Dr. Dennis Perman, chiropractor and Master’s Circle chiropractic member wrote, “This time, chiropractic principle triumphs, but make no mistake, some degree of vigilance would be wise. Misguided individuals or small groups may again plot to mutate their DC licenses into some chiro-medical hybrid, and to my observation, this is neither a good idea nor the will of the majority.”

He adds, “It’s saddening and disturbing that some chiropractors feel under-equipped to care for their patients, and rather than investigating the vast array of tools, techniques and knowledge to be discovered within chiropractic, instead feel compelled to…use methods contrary to our essence…. Let’s interface with medicine when it would suit the patient’s best interests….”