| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also, the 2000 WCA United Nations report The 2000 World Chiropractic Alliance
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | Director of Intraprofessional Relations and Legislative Affairs -- Patrick Gentempo, D.C. |
| Director of Programs in Public Policy -- Veronica Gutierrez, D.C. |
| Director of Public Affairs -- Jim Albertine |
| Director of International Affairs -- Christopher Kent, D.C. |
| Director of Collaborative Education & Practice -- Mark Filippi, D.C. |
| Director of Research and Education -- Ralph Boone, D.C., Ph.D. |
| Director of Insurance Relations -- Jeffrey Shay, D.C. |
| Director of Vaccine Education -- Sue Kelly |
Dr. Rondberg noted that the changes posed unique challenges. "We had to establish a new paradigm for chiropractic organizations," he explained. "We didn't want to fall into the trap of setting up a 'business as usual' type of system where the only response to a problem is to form a committee to study it. We had to figure out a way to allow true representation of the membership, without sacrificing our ability to act swiftly and decisively when the need arose. I think we've managed to do that."
The changes coincided with a period of growth within the WCA. Joining the WCA were several highly respected chiropractic leaders who were appointed to the International Board of Governors. These included Maxine McMullen, D.C., vice president of the International Chiropractors Association, and Clair O’Dell, who worked closely with B.J. Palmer and is one of the profession’s most well-known pioneers.
A major achievement for chiropractic -- and for the WCA -- was the appointment of Veronica Gutierrez, D.C., to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Dr. Gutierrez, a member of the WCA Board of Directors, was the only doctor of chiropractic to be chosen for the Commission, which was charged with preparing a report to the President on legislative and administrative recommendations that would assure that "public policy maximizes the benefits to Americans of complementary and alternative medicine." The recommendations will relate to education, research, information dissemination, and appropriate access to and delivery of complementary and alternative medicine.
In February, a delegation from the WCA attended a meeting with officials of the Veterans Health Administration to provide input into the development of a chiropractic utilization plan that will govern the role of D.C.s in V.A. health programs. They submitted a paper explaining chiropractic as a subluxation-based health care approach, using the "Chiropractic Paradigm" paper developed by the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) to support the WCA position. Later in the year, the WCA launched a massive grassroots campaign to modify a Congressional proposal which could have limited the role of chiropractic in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health services system to treating "neuromusculoskeletal conditions."
On October 3, the WCA submitted testimony to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, supporting the concept of direct and full access to chiropractic but objecting to its categorization as a quasi-medical treatment for specified conditions. The provision was pulled and the WCA immediately began working to develop more inclusive language which can be submitted at the next legislative session.
This action generated heated opposition from the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), whose leaders did not agree with the WCA’s position on the need for legislative language to include reference to chiropractic as a subluxation-based health care system. In order to clarify the WCA’s stand on this issue, a Legislative Policy was developed which outlined the five safeguards and provisions prerequisite to WCA approval, including:
| Explicit inclusion of chiropractic for the detection, correction and management of vertebral subluxation; |
| Recognition of vertebral subluxation as a reason for chiropractic care; |
| Exclusion of drugs and surgery; |
| Direct access to chiropractic care, without referral by any other provider; and |
| Participation in covered program is open to any willing licensed chiropractor. |
In order to encourage and expedite cooperation between various organizations, particularly when presenting legislation to Congress, the WCA named Patrick Gentempo, D.C. as Director of Intraprofessional Relations and Legislative Affairs.
In assuming the position, Dr. Gentempo explained, "Sadly, there has been a great deal of friction between chiropractic organizations. The misunderstanding and distrust between the groups -- and the misinformation being distributed to the profession -- makes it nearly impossible for us to make headway in Washington." However, he added that all groups can put aside their individual animosities for the good of the profession. "We can work toward unified action in an atmosphere of trust and cooperation," he said. "In fact, we must do that if we are to succeed in making chiropractic a major part of the health care system of the U.S. and the world."
Dr. Gentempo was also kept busy making and maintain his contacts with top legislative figures. During the Republican Party's National Nominating Convention in Philadelphia, he mingled with the GOP leadership, including then presidential nominee George W. Bush.
Earlier in the year, WCA leaders met with key U.S. legislators, among them Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), to discuss important health issues including insurance reform, Medicare, and the establishment of a chiropractic corps in the military, similar to the medical and dental corps.
Finally, to facilitate its increased activity in the U.S. capitol, the WCA opened an office in a prestigious professional complex in Washington, D.C. The new office is located in close proximity to the White House and all major government offices, as well as the Washington Post, the Madison Hotel and other important sites. The WCA’s Chandler office remains the main location for all administrative activity.
WCA President Terry A. Rondberg, D.C. and Director of International Affairs, Christopher Kent, D.C. -- at the invitation of Dr. B. P. Kean, Director of External Cooperation and Relations and Dr. Xiaorui Zhang, Acting Coordinator, Traditional Medicine -- traveled to Geneva to discuss the role of chiropractic in the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO). They discussed how chiropractic can play an important part in global health and wellness.
As its first project with WHO, the WCA created a Power Point presentation documenting the laws relating to chiropractic which exist throughout the world. Dr. Kent was called upon to research and present information on the licensing and legal status of all nations and to provide information on the number of D.C.s licensed and/or practicing in each country.
Two additional projects were discussed and are presently in the planning stages. These include a program in which the WCA will assist WHO in the development of an international model law for chiropractic and the development of chiropractic missions to underdeveloped and emerging nations.
Later in the year, Dr. Kent was selected to serve as treasurer of the NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) Health Committee. The Executive Committee selected him to fill the post at its meeting at WHO headquarters in New York. He is one of eight members of the Executive Committee, which is responsible for the management of NGO Health Committee affairs.
For a full report on the WCA's United Nations activities, see Dr. Kent's 2000 U.N. Report.
In addition, during 2000, the WCA:
| Promoted and helped coordinate a fund-raising effort for the New Zealand Chiropractic College Heritage Trust Fund and donated more than $10,000 to the effort. |
| Supported and publicized a mission to India by WCA member Fred L. Kingsbury, D.C., who made public presentations about chiropractic and gave adjustments to thousands of people. |
| Provided front-page coverage in The Chiropractic Journal on chiropractic in Costa Rica, and the efforts of two WCA members to start a Costa Rican chiropractic organization (Collegio de Quiropractica). |
| Assisted Canadian subluxation-based doctors to overcome objections to the adoption of the CCP Guidelines in Alberta. |
| Designated the Israel Doctors of Chiropractic (IDOC) as the first official WCA international affiliate. |
During the year 2000, the WCA developed and/or distributed position papers on:
To maximize public awareness of chiropractic, the WCA signed contracts with three major press release wire services -- PR Newswire, Newswise and EurekAlert -- to ensure the widest possible distribution of information about chiropractic and the effects of vertebral subluxation.
During the year, the WCA distributed press releases on key issues, including a forceful rebuttal to medical claims that cervical adjustments are linked to strokes and a warning -- timed to hit the media during the "back to school" vaccine drive period -- that parents are not being given full information about the risks of vaccines for children or about their options concerning those drugs.
In addition, the WCA:
| Created and maintained a rapidly growing Internet website for the World Chiropractic Alliance that provides worldwide access to WCA materials, including position papers, articles from The Chiropractic Journal, and the complete text of the CCP Guidelines. In addition, several books of interest to consumers and providers are available on the site as free downloadable files. |
| Instituted a weekly e-mail report to WCA members and others interested in subluxation-based chiropractic, which includes news updates about current events in chiropractic, as well as the reports about current medical research formerly found in the Health Watch print newsletter. |
| Responded to attacks from two American pediatric journals on chiropractic positions concerning mandatory vaccines and chiropractic for children. |
| Participated in a "Stop the Medicine" rally in California designed to raise public awareness of the dangers of medical errors around the world. |
| Worked with the FBI to publicize the increasing health care fraud problem. Published an article by Supervisory Special Agent Stuart B. Silver and Special Agent John T. Bestor on this issue. |
| Produced a brochure on chiropractic research, publicizing the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR) which D.C.s can distribute to patients who should be educated about the science behind the subluxation. |
The World Chiropractic Alliance organized, planned and scheduled the first WCA International Summit, to be held March 1-4, 2001 in Washington, D.C. Subluxation-based doctors from around the world will gather for this historic meeting which will reflect the spirit of B.J. Palmer and honor the traditions he set down for the entire chiropractic profession. Numerous key government figures will attend.
The Summit will also feature a Legislative and Leadership Day, with appearances by numerous government officials. Invitations to speak will be sent to Republican and Democratic Senate and House leaders and whips, as well as the chairs of selected committees.
Invited to give presentations during the Summit will be the Secretaries of Labor, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration, Veterans Affairs, and the Directors of the National Health Institute and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Presentations will be given by major chiropractic leaders. The featured guest speaker will be noted brain scientist Karl Pribram. Dr. Pribram has been called "one of the most influential scholars alive today in probing the mysteries of the mind-brain relationship." Christopher Kent, D.C., noted that "Dr. Pribram has helped liberate neuroscience from the dogma of mechanism. His work is an intellectual feast for the chiropractor. Pribram's theoretical constructs and experimental work bring vitalism into the 21st century."
 |
|
 |
