The World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) International Board of Governors (IBG) met in the famed "Gold Room" of the Rayburn House of Representatives Office Building during the organization's second annual International Summit -- the first chiropractic organization to hold its meetings in the Capitol building itself.

Just down the hall from the legislators who vote on the issues that impact the American people, the doctors decided on the WCA positions, priorities and actions that will influence the future of the chiropractic profession.

Moderated by Mary Rowe, a professional facilitator who also works with the Association of Chiropractic Colleges and the National Chiropractic Leadership Forum, the meeting was opened by Terry Rondberg, D.C., WCA president.

Although in the past the organization has been upbraided for not being "democratic," the establishment of a Board of Directors and a large and inclusive International Board of Governors has muted any such criticism. With representatives from throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East, it receives input on all major international issues affecting chiropractic.

"These doctors are the lifeblood of the World Chiropractic Alliance," stated Dr. Rondberg. "We are responsive to their ideas and suggestions because they represent the profession as a whole. This meeting was truly a demonstration of chiropractic democracy in action."

The WCA's IBG is comprised of doctors with a wide variety of experience and education, from new graduates to some of the most respected chiropractic experts in the world. Membership is not restricted to those with prior organizational or political experience. "We didn't want a Board filled with the same names, the same faces," Rondberg explained. "We wanted fresh blood and new ideas. It's been extremely exciting and stimulating to see doctors who have never even been to a chiropractic organization meeting stepping forward and assuming leadership roles."

Prior to the IBG meeting at the Summit, all Board members had received a lengthy survey questionnaire eliciting their opinions on issues as far ranging as the use of the term "chiropractic physician" to the need to lobby for chiropractic in government health programs. Based on these surveys, 39 resolutions were developed for discussion and voting by the IBG.

The resolutions were categorized into six groups and the Governors were given an opportunity to discuss, amend, and vote on each in turn. If no discussions or amendments were needed, the resolution was passed by consensus.

Although all members of the Board share a dedication to subluxation-based chiropractic, there was lively discussion throughout the meeting on many of the topics. Participants freely and respectfully expressed their viewpoints and the resolutions were amended to more accurately reflect the will of the group.

One of the key decisions made during the meeting was that the WCA needs to continue to protect its autonomy, but at the same time recognize there are times where cooperating with other chiropractic organizations will serve the profession. A resolution was passed which encourages cooperation with other chiropractic organizations whose values are congruent with those of the WCA. This cooperation cannot be at the expense of the WCA's own values, the group emphasized.

The resolutions passed by the Board also included a determination that the World Chiropractic Alliance would intervene in state legislative issues when it feels it would be in the best interests of subluxation-based chiropractic to do so, even it if means opposing the position of a state organization.

"Too often, a state organization will represent only one segment of the chiropractic community," Rondberg said after the Summit vote. "The WCA has decided it cannot abandon those doctors who are disenfranchised and need help because of this situation."

The same premise was extended to a global scale with the passage of a resolution that asserted the WCA should "in keeping with the WCA Declaration on International Affairs, intervene in international issues (outside the U.S.) when it feels it would be in the best interests of subluxation-based chiropractic to do so (even if it means opposing the position of chiropractic organizations in that country)."

A separate notation was added to the official Resolutions, reiterating the WCA Declaration on International Affairs, which states, "The World Chiropractic Alliance holds that the free exchange of ideas is essential to the growth and development of all professions. Patients and practitioners have the right to free and unfettered access to information concerning health care decisions, while respecting patient confidentiality and intellectual property rights. Individual chiropractors, chiropractic associations and chiropractic educational institutions have the right to disseminate information through publications and educational programs throughout the world. No chiropractic organization has the right to hold itself out as representing a profession as a whole internationally, or having exclusive authority to act on behalf of the chiropractic profession when dealing with governments or civil society."

The Governors also tackled the complex issue of generating revenue through endorsements and agreed that the group needed to exercise great care when developing endorsement arrangements. To ensure this, a sub-committee was formed to develop a Protocol on Endorsements, to be chaired by Dr. Patrick Gentempo. It will report back to the 2003 meeting of the International Board of Governors.

Part of the meeting was devoted to setting WCA priorities for the coming year. The Governors considered a lengthy list of both short and long-term efforts and concluded that the organization's top priorities should be:

*** Passage of House Concurrent Resolution 46 expressing the "Sense of the Congress" about chiropractic.

*** Lobbying for legislation specifying that D.C.s are the ONLY practitioners permitted to perform spinal adjustments for the correction of vertebral subluxation.

*** Developing an international model chiropractic licensing law, that includes subluxation concepts.

*** Producing and introducing public education/relations programs stressing the vertebral subluxation, such as promoting the rights of parents to bring their infants and children to a chiropractor, and women's health care issues and the benefits of chiropractic

*** Ensuring the inclusion of subluxation-based chiropractic in all federal government health care programs.

*** Reforming health care language, including working to eliminate use of the word "medicine" when referring to chiropractic and CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) using the word "adjustment" instead of "manipulation" when appropriate; the term "practice member" instead of patient, etc.

Issues which, though important, were judged secondary priorities included:

*** Preventing the expansion of chiropractic scope of practice to include drugs.

*** Working toward the elimination of Chiropractic State Board administrative rules mandating medical diagnoses, tests, or therapies.

*** Opposing mandatory vaccination legislation and court rulings to protect the right of all people to choose not to receive vaccines as a requirement for employment, enrollment in school, or public service or other lawful activities.

*** Eliminating discriminatory practices by insurance companies (i.e., using 'red flags' to deny claims for subluxation correction, etc.).

The results of the voting, as well as the process itself, was applauded by most Governors as a clear expression of the organization's democratic ideals. Numerous doctors specifically praised facilitator Rowe.

"She was effective, efficient and provided awesome comedic relief," commented Stephanie Grenier, D.C., of Georgia. "I learned a lot from her and will use it!" Yannick Pauli of Switzerland agreed, saying he was "absolutely amazed at the skills of the facilitator. She ran that meeting in an amazing way. I have been to chiropractic meetings with 20 times less people but where also 20 times less things were accomplished. Congratulation on her work."

Also receiving accolades from the Governors was the atmosphere of camaraderie during the meeting.

"I felt a conservative, but progressive open-mindedness; a hearty and healthy honesty and openness in opinion and understanding sharing; and an exciting new awareness of cooperative strength," observed B.W. Bean, D.C., of Washington. Dr. Bean, who is an instructor with the Morter Health System Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique, also noted that, "having been to chiropractic conferences for 40 years and seeing all sides of the chiropractic fences, (this Summit) was the finest and most comprehensive chiropractic convocation I've ever witnessed."