Although the anti-chiropractic rhetoric in the print and broadcast media has been relatively absent in recent months, several displays of media ignorance or bias were noted.

The first instance was from the notorious Howard Stern, whose radio show is rife with attacks on nearly every category of people populating the planet, from ethic groups to professions.

On August 17, Stern sprayed his venom on chiropractic.

According to one chiropractic listener, the radio personality "completely belittled, disrespected, insulted and humiliated our profession... He sarcastically spent time talking about how we take x-rays and then tell patients that they are out of alignment. He read a list ranking the important doctors, we were down way below veterinarians and he even insulted a bunch of ethnic minorities and said we were even further down the list then they were. It was completely horrible."

Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, said he wasn't surprised that Stern targeted chiropractic.

"The whole point of that show is to be as outrageous and offend as many groups as possible," he stated. "For us to respond with justifiable indignation would not only be a waste of time and effort, but would probably delight him. That's the effect he wants."

Another media blast came from a print magazine which many people find equally objectionable, although for different reasons. The "men's" magazine, Maxim -- more noted for its photographs of nude women than for its incisive health information -- contained a short blurb about chiropractic in its "Ask Dr. Maxim."

The "Q & A" format column opened with a question about whether chiropractors are con artists. In response, the columnist quoted Samuel Homola, D.C. -- author of "Inside Chiropractic," a book edited by Stephen Barrett, the self-appointed "quack buster" -- as recommending chiropractic only for "pain in your back or neck that you might have gotten doing some heavy lifting or an extra set at the gym."

The column also went on to warn that chiropractic care can cause strokes and that children should never be given adjustments. It closed with a suggestion that "if you don't feel better in a few weeks or if you're actually worse after a week, get a referral to an osteopath or an orthopedic surgeon..."

As in most cases of inaccurate or biased media reporting, the World Chiropractic Alliance wrote a letter objecting to the erroneous information and providing evidence of the efficacy and safety of chiropractic.

"It's difficult when dealing with this type of publication," Dr. Rondberg conceded, "since the magazine makes no pretense of being a source of legitimate health information."

Recent columns, posted on the Maxim internet site, offered responses to such critical questions as "Why do hairs grow on my ass," and whether Preparation H can be used to eliminate bags under your eyes.

"It's hard to convince this type of magazine that they owe their readers the truth about chiropractic or that they aren't living up to high standards of journalistic integrity," Rondberg lamented.

Still, the WCA feels it's necessary to respond to almost all such attacks and encourages doctors to do likewise. Although some publications may not be concerned with journalistic ethics, they often will respond to pressure from readers and advertisers who may impact their revenue.

To contact Maxim, write:

Keith Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief
Maxim Magazine
1040 Ave. of the Americas
New York, NY 10018

Dear Mr. Blanchard:

I am writing on behalf of the 60,000 licensed doctors of chiropractic in the United States regarding the "Ask Dr. Maxim" column in your September 2001 issue. I am shocked that this column included such inaccurate and blatantly biased information. The column's use of only one source is unacceptable in responsible journalism. Dr. Samuel Homola's book, "Inside Chiropractic," was edited by Stephen Barrett, M.D., who is generally acknowledged as an irresponsible and highly controversial chiropractic critic.

Additionally, his assertion that chiropractic has been linked to strokes is inaccurate and easily refuted. By putting that totally unsubstantiated claim in your column, you did both the chiropractic profession and your readership a grave disservice.

Numerous medical and scientific research studies have shown that chiropractic is extremely safe and the chances of suffering a stroke after receiving a chiropractic adjustments is, at worst, 1 to 3 million in one. In fact, a medical researcher admitted that "... most interventions by allopathic physicians have a higher complication rate than chiropractic interventions." (Philip Lee, M.D., "Neurologic complications following chiropractic manipulation: A survey of California neurologists," Neurology 1995; 45: 1213-5.)

Moreover, the often heard warning about children and chiropractic has been erroneously and dishonestly sounded by the medical pediatric industry, which is losing significant revenue to chiropractic as parents realize the many serious dangers of continually subjecting their children to dangerous drugs and questionable surgical procedures. No credible study has EVER found that children are at risk by having chiropractic care.

On the contrary, the care of children is consistent with recommended chiropractic guidelines, as set forth in the Council on Chiropractic Practice "Clinical Practice Guideline Number 1, Vertebral Subluxation in Chiropractic Practice," included in the National Guideline Clearinghouse. This document states: "Since vertebral subluxation may affect individuals at any age, chiropractic care may be indicated at any time after birth."

In addition to the CCP Guideline, two peer-reviewed journals, Chiropractic Pediatrics and the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics disseminate critically reviewed papers in this field. Courses in pediatrics are offered at the professional and postgraduate levels at accredited chiropractic colleges and by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

The medical profession has labored for decades to destroy all competitors, most especially doctors of chiropractic. On February 7, 1990, then U.S. Court of Appeals Judge, Susan Getzendanner, upheld a District Court's decision which found the AMA guilty of conspiring with other medical health care organizations in the "lengthy, systematic, successful and unlawful boycott" designed to restrict cooperation between M.D.s and chiropractors -- in order to eliminate the profession of chiropractic as a competitor in the United States Health Care System. While the boycott was officially called off as a result of this decision, the anti-chiropractic stance of much of the drug and medical industry continues.

If you are interested in giving your readers accurate and helpful information -- information of true value to assist them in leading healthier, longer, more vital lives -- you should tell them the truth about chiropractic. Chiropractic is not about "cracking backs" or treating neck pain. It is concerned with correcting misalignments (termed subluxations) in the vertebrae that can cause interference in nerve function.

Although the health of your readers should be your primary concern, you also need to consider the impact the false and biased information contained in your September issue has had on Maxim's reputation. An estimated 23-28 million Americans see their doctors of chiropractic each year, and the number is growing. These people, who know the benefits of chiropractic first hand, have been given reason to question the credibility of the material in your publication. As an editor, I am sure you see the wisdom in taking steps to restore reader confidence.

The only way to do this is by publishing an accurate and balanced article about chiropractic, perhaps revealing the reasons why the medical and pharmaceutical industries have tried so hard to eliminate it. Feel free to contact me as a source for information, quotes, or reference material.

Yours truly,

Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., President

Note: The World Chiropractic Alliance is an international organization that represents doctors of chiropractic and promotes the traditional, drug-free and non-invasive form of chiropractic as a means of correcting vertebral subluxations that cause nerve interference. The WCA is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information and publisher of the peer-reviewed chiropractic research journal, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. For more information about the WCA or chiropractic, visit www.worldchiropracticalliance.org.