May 2004

Online group given facts about research and JVSR

Recently, in an online Yahoo discussion group called "Chiropractic Uncensored," run by NYCC Student Intern Buddy Touchinsky, Dr. Terry A. Rondberg, DC, president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, posted news about the chiropractic infertility research.

In response, Mr. Touchinsky responded with an antagonism that flavored many of his messages to Dr. Rondberg. The resulting dialog, however, helped explain the importance of chiropractic research and the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.

Buddy Touchinsky: "Why are these studies not being published in more reputable journals? I don't mean to offend, but you have to admit the JVSR is not exactly looked upon highly by the scientific community."

Dr. Rondberg:  Actually, Buddy, you DO mean to offend and I find your question -- and the way you worded it -- very offensive. Where did you get the impression that JVSR is not respected in the scientific community? Have you even READ any of the research reports in it, or are you merely repeating what you heard someone say?

Here are a few of the researchers whose work has been published in JVSR. Which ones would you be willing to call "not reputable?"

***  Robert Blanks, PhD -- Professor in the DepMay 2004artment of Biomedical Sciences at Florida Atlantic University and a past Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine. Prior to this he spent two years at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt, Germany and two years in the Department of Anatomy at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Blanks is on the Advisory Board of the International Spinal Health Institute, is a Board Member of the Council on Chiropractic Practice and is actively involved in chiropractic research.

***  John Zhang, MD, PhD -- Associate Professor, ResMay 2004earch Associate, Research Division, Logan College of Chiropractic. Research experience is in the areas of embryonic growth and cardiopulmonary functions in seabirds and chicken embryos, biological effects of electromagnetic fields on living systems, purification of ergovaline using XAD 2, C18 and HPLC, Rand SF 36 health survey and heart rate variability analysis for autonomic nervous system functions. Publications include:

"Effect of an electromagnetic field on avian embryonic growth and oxygen consumption." J. Electro and Magnetobiology. 12(1):27 37, 1993.

"Effects of electromagnetic fields on avian embryonic growth." Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine. 14:(2)88 91, 1992.

"Embryonic oxygen consumption and organ growth in the Wedge tailed Shearwater." Growth, Dev. & Aging. 56:(4)205 214, 1992.

"The effect of incubation temperature on oxygen consumption and organ growth in domestic fowl embryos." J. Therm. Biol. 17:(6)339 345, 1992.

... the list is too long to post here. See his bio at www.jvsr.com.

***  John J. Gerhardt, MD, FAADEP, FABMay 2004PM&R, Consultant in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Shriners Hospital and Veterans Affairs Hospital Medical Center in Portland. Dr. Gerhardt began his career after receiving his medical degree in 1948 in Graz, Austria and was Board Certified in Orthopedics in 1956. He is a member of the worker's compensation committee of the Oregon Medical Association.

Dr. Gerhardt's training includes Fellowship in the American Academy of Disability Evaluating Physicians and The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Examiners and a member of the American Medical Association and the International Society for Prosthetic Orthotics. Dr. Gerhardt is a Board Member of the Council on Chiropractic Practice and is a contributing editor to the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. Dr. Gerhardt serves on the Board of the International Spinal Health Institute and through the Institute has been involved in the training of doctors at the Regional Center for Chiropractic in Vladivostok, Russia.

***  Yasuhiko Takeda, DC, Director, Nerve InfMay 2004ormation & Blood Circulation Research Institute, Tottori, Japan. Dr. Takeda became chief researcher at the Tokyo Low Back Pain Research Center where he served until 1993. Since then, he has served as the president of the Nerve Information and Blood Circulation Research Institute in Osaka where he has been conducting his research. Beginning in 1992, the focus of Takeda's research has been on the relationship between subluxation, allergic disease, asthma, crohn's disease, irritable bowel disorder and ulcerative colitis.

***  Edward F. Owens, Jr., DC, Sherman College resMay 2004earch director since Fall of 1998. He has a long history in chiropractic research, having served on the research faculty at Life University, where he received his DC degree, and as past editor of the Chiropractic Research Journal. Dr. Owens has a background in biomechanics with an M.S. in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Georgia Tech. He has produced more than 60 papers, either for publication or presentation.

I could go on and on, but I'm not sure it would do any good. You already "know" what you want to know and your question indicates that you're not interested in learning something more.

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Another response was posted by Charles L. Blum, DC, of Santa Monica, CA, whose work has also appeared in JVSR.

I find your comment a bit out of line. What makes a reputable journal? JVSR is a journal that is peer reviewed and is attempting to build a base of information for the chiropractic profession. Dr. McCoy is a fair and supportive editor for chiropractors interested in publishing in a peer reviewed chiropractic journal.

Chiropractic is extremely lucky to have JVSR since most of our journals are getting flushed down the drain. Now (to my recollection) the only peer reviewed clinical journals in chiropractic left are: JMPT, Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, European Journal of Chiropractic, Journal of the Australian Chiropractic Association, Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, and JVSR.

Chiropractors are not publishing, reading or supporting our journals sufficiently and this is pathetic. JVSR is attempting to build a base of information that supports subluxation theory and chiropractic. Regardless of your position, JVSR encouraged and supported submission of the case histories relating to chiropractic and infertility, and has taken steps to share this with the mass media. This benefits chiropractic and hopefully, if continued research supports chiropractic's role in assisting fertility, this will ultimately benefit our patients.