Dr. Sportelli & WFC -- a shameless grab for control

In August of this year, Dr. Louis Sportelli sent a letter, as president of the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC), to WFC member associations and chiropractic colleges across the globe. The letter stated that "this is the single most important communication you have yet received from the Federation."

It did not say that it was one of the most disturbing communications our profession would ever have to concern itself with -- but that's exactly what it was.

Dr. Sportelli outlined what amounts to no less than a WFC attempt at grabbing control of the chiropractic educational system around the world.

This is not an exaggeration. In fact, he didn't even hide his intent but, instead, stated it clearly in the letter when he said that any educational program "must, from the outset, have the goal of meeting and maintaining one minimum international standard in chiropractic education..." (emphasis added).

In the United States, Dr. Sportelli has led the campaign to establish the Mercy "standard." It is now evident that he wants to impose that standard on the world.

The letter called for all colleges to sign a pledge that they will abide by the WFC's "Tokyo Charter," a frighteningly fascist document developed by the WFC in 1997, which calls for all schools to march in lock step with the ideas set forth by the WFC.

The Charter specifically points to the goal of establishing "one minimum international standard in chiropractic education," and proclaims the WFC the sole arbiter of that standard.

In fact, according to the Charter, educational programs could be conducted only with "prior consultation with and approval by the national association or other chiropractic organization recognized by the World Federation of Chiropractic as representing chiropractors in that country..." (italics added).

In addition, only WFC member associations would be allowed to invite people to teach in their countries. If a nation had two or more organizations, those which were not "ordained" by the WFC would be barred from providing educational programs. Clearly, if one of the groups represented subluxation-based chiropractic and the other had a musculoskeletal mentality, WFC would have no difficulty picking which one to affiliate with.

Although the Charter is filled with explanations as to how chiropractic colleges "should" do things, it includes the notation, "In this Charter, the word 'should' is used with the meaning 'must.'"

And what would the educational "standard" be if the WFC is allowed to dictate it? There can be little doubt that it would be the International Mercy Standard. In truth, the WFC is merely a cozy little group of Mercy supporters who tend to play musical chairs with power positions in the ACA.

Heading the group now is Dr. Sportelli, former president of the ACA and Chairman of the Board of the National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCIC), and a member of the Mercy commission.

Before him, the WFC was led by David Chapman-Smith, the Mercy Commission counsel and Sportelli's close friend and business partner in several ventures.

Serving as chairman of the WFC's "Research Council" is Scott Haldeman, D.C., M.D., chairman of the Mercy Steering Committee. Also on that Council are Drs. Reed Phillips and John Triano -- both of whom served on the Mercy Commission.

In fact, ALL of the U.S. members of the WFC Executive Board and Research Council were associated with the development of the Mercy doctrine.

The standard they want to impose on the world's colleges would put the entire educational system in the hands of these few Mercy champions. It would, in effect, make them and their allies the gatekeepers for anyone wishing to teach the art, science and philosophy of chiropractic to students and doctors around the globe.

How often do you think a subluxation-based instructor would be granted permission to discuss the effect of adjustments on human health, or the power of Innate to heal? Never, if people like Dr. Triano -- who has openly ridiculed the notion of vertebral subluxations -- have anything to say about it.

Dr. Sportelli's letter wasn't just a plea to all colleges to commit to abiding by the WFC's "Tokyo Charter." It was a none-too-subtle threat that any college which fails to make such a commitment will be ostracized by the chiropractic community. And he made it clear that colleges aren't the only entities expected to toe the line. Even national chiropractic organizations are to be kept in their places.

Although the Tokyo Charter supposedly applies solely to undergraduate programs, it is assumed that, if given support, it will also be used to regulate continuing education. The teaching of any ideas or concepts not in accord with the WFC's group of Mercy proponents like Drs. Sportelli, Triano and Reed, would be outlawed.

The most obvious question to ask after learning of this arrogant action is who gave the WFC the power or right to regulate chiropractic on a global scale?

It's ironic that the WFC insists that educational programs get permission from an organization recognized "as representing chiropractors in that country." Yet, the WFC itself cannot claim to "represent" chiropractors in any democratic fashion since field doctors have no voice in the policy making process of the group.

Of course, we have to question the wisdom of having any political organization dictate educational policies. The WFC's efforts to control the free exchange of ideas between chiropractors is reprehensible, although not surprising.

Perhaps this is the most disturbing trend: the seizing of power by a small group of self-proclaimed leaders who decide what is best for chiropractic -- without being accountable in any meaningful way to doctors of chiropractic.

These individuals (and their names are always the same) conduct business in secret and seldom solicit input from the profession before taking actions. In fact, in many cases, they often don't even let their own members in on their plans. They meet in closed door sessions, have private telephone conversations, or exchange carefully guarded e-mail messages.

When the rest of us find out about their actions (if we ever do) it's usually too late to do anything about it. This is true even regarding those issues which can have a profound affect on the profession as a whole.

The most obvious example of this was the development of the Mercy Guidelines. Did anyone contact you for your input before that document was prepared? Did the 33 people who gathered in closed meetings in California ever open their doors to field doctors to get their suggestions or approval? When they finalized the guideline document, did they bring it to us for our endorsement before they sent it to the insurance companies?

We all know they didn't, and we know why they didn't -- because we would have rejected it overwhelmingly. As it turned out, we still rejected it but, just as they had anticipated, it was too late for our rejection to matter.

The WFC hopes to do the same thing now and counts on the profession's complacency to get away with imposing the Mercy standard on the world.

What we need to do is send the WFC leaders a clear message that they will NOT get away with such autocratic behavior any longer. We are watching them and will no longer tolerate a dictatorial regime to control chiropractic.

There are several ways to get this message across:

*** Contact college presidents in the U.S. and urge them to oppose the WFC's "Tokyo Charter." Ask them to encourage their colleagues in other countries to do the same. Let them know you do not support the Mercy guidelines here or abroad nor do you support Mercy's disciples, including Drs. Sportelli and Triano. If you cannot contact all the chiropractic institutions, at the very least contact officials at the school where you graduated. Go so far as to let them know your future donations as an alumnus will depend on their actions in this regard.

*** If you belong to an organization which holds membership in the WFC (in the United States, this, sadly, includes the ICA), contact your organization leaders and tell them you want them to reject the WFC's strategy for worldwide domination.

*** Join the World Chiropractic Alliance and support our efforts to create a more free and democratic chiropractic community around the world. We strongly believe that educational standards can be elevated and maintained without imposing a Mercy mindset on our schools. We will work to bring the WFC's abuse of power to the attention of chiropractors and health officials everywhere and make sure all nations continue to have the right to build their educational programs around subluxation-based standards such as the CCP's "Clinical Practice Guideline: Vertebral Subluxation in Chiropractic Practice."

If you value subluxation-based chiropractic and envision a world where D.C.s are free to learn and practice chiropractic in its truest forms, you need to respond to this threat by the WFC.