see also: RCS to recruit 'army' of researchers and RCS: Proving Chiropractic Works

What lesson can we learn from the drug industry?

An interview with David Jackson, DC, Research & Clinical Science (RCS) CEO

Q. Is chiropractic research really important?

A. In the pharmaceutical industry, research is a key component to marketing. The more the drug companies can “prove” the value of their products, the better they’ll sell. That’s why drug makers spend huge amounts of money for -- and employ thousands of researchers and support personnel in -- research and development departments. In fact, as of 2004, more than 12,500 people worked in R&D at Pfizer alone. In 2003, members of the industry’s trade organization the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) spent an estimated $33.2 billion on research to develop new drugs.

Without research, drug companies can’t sell their brand of health care.

Without research, neither can chiropractic.

Q. Isn’t our profession already doing research?

A. Yes and no. Several organizations and colleges support and conduct research, but almost all of it is directed to low back pain in adults. Very little money and effort is spent on exploring the broader aspects of chiropractic as a wellness discipline, or on the impact of subluxation correction on immunity, wellness, or quality of life.

If we continue to focus almost totally on chiropractic for back pain, we’ll always be restricted to that small box. We’ll never break out into the wellness sphere -- and that’s where health care is heading.

Q. What can we do about this situation?

A. We need to learn a lesson from the drug industry when it comes to research. We can’t match them dollar-for-dollar, but we can adopt the same research-oriented mentality and mobilize an army of field researchers willing and able to prove the value of chiropractic for all people.

That’s the goal of RCS (Research and Clinical Science), a new company I founded with two top chiropractic researchers, Matthew McCoy, DC and Robert Blanks, PhD. Utilizing advanced computer-based technology, RCS-trained doctors will collect standardized data from hundreds of thousands of patients around the world. An International Scientific Advisory Panel, comprised of highly respected and thoroughly qualified health care experts will analyze the information and publish the findings in reputable research journals.

The published research will silence our critics who continue to claim we are an unscientific, unproven discipline. It will generate millions of dollars in positive publicity for chiropractic, and open the floodgates of new patients into chiropractic offices.

Q. What kind of research will RCS conduct?

A. Imagine having “before and after” quality of life data from millions of people -- people who have presented with a variety of health conditions and wellness levels. Some of the questions we could explore include whether chiropractic can:

The research will set the “gold standard” for measuring wellness and it will provide the hard evidence we need to prove to the world that chiropractic has a positive impact on human health and wellness.

Q. Isn’t research the job of full-time researchers and academicians?

A. If our schools or research organizations had a few thousand researchers, we could afford the luxury of leaving the work to them. But there are, at most, a few dozen full-time researchers in our profession. They can’t possibly do the work that’s needed.

Besides, the best chiropractic researchers are those doctors who see patients every day, who have ‘real life’ experience with patient care and who can reach a huge number of health care consumers throughout the world. Our profession’s R&D department must embrace thousands of field doctors willing and able to contribute to the storehouse of chiropractic knowledge.

Luckily, with the training and equipment provided by RCS, doctors can more easily incorporate the data-collection tasks into their normal office procedures. In fact, using RCS methods will actually improve most doctors’ record keeping procedures and bullet proof their patient notes.

Q. What kind of training and equipment does RCS provide?

A. All RCS researchers must complete an intensive two-day training session held on the campus of the University of California-Irvine, as well as the National Institutes of Health Office of Human Subjects online training course. Upon successful completion of both training programs, RCS doctors will receive a complete PC computer system and a PDA, pre-programmed with specialized RCS data-collection software. The three-year RCS enrollment fee also includes all support materials needed to successfully publicize the research effort locally, recruit volunteers, and integrate data into the web-based research network.

Q. What other benefits do RCS member doctors get?

A. In this highly competitive climate, all professionals need to do something to stand out from fellow practitioners. Thanks to an aggressive public awareness campaign, people will seek out offices that identify themselves as Authorized RCS Research Sites. They will recognize the RCS logo and realize that the doctor has been trained in RCS research techniques and is part of a global research effort. RCS doctors will position themselves as members of select group providing scientific, evidence-based care. The result is increased credibility and respect within their communities and their profession, and a tremendous increase in their practice volume.

Q. How can DCs learn more about RCS?

A. Doctors can call RCS at 800-909-1354 (US) or 1-480-303-1694 (outside the US) for more information or to apply for our next training session, to be held at the end of April.

Dr. Jackson is Chief Executive Officer, Research and Clinical Science (RCS), a private sector research program exploring issues of subluxation correction and chiropractic care as they relate to health and wellness. Previously, he served as president of Chiropractic Leadership Alliance and Creating Wellness Alliance. He is owner/operator of several private practice offices in California and Idaho that specialize in high‑volume, family wellness‑based care.