August 2007

BULLETIN

Reports claim Maggie Craw resigns

At press time, The Chiropractic Journal has received reports that Maggie Craw, DC, paid consultant to the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners, has resigned and will be vacating her position as of August 2007. The report was unofficially confirmed by an undisclosed source within the state government.

"We are optimistic that the report is accurate," stated Terry A. Rondberg, DC, president of the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), which led the campaign to oust the controversial consultant.

After an intensive investigation of Craw's actions, the WCA filed official complaints against Craw and submitted evidence that she was unfit to serve as the Board's consultant. The complaints documented numerous cases in which Craw had censured doctors for providing information on the benefits of subluxation correction, the role of chiropractic in wellness, or the impact of subluxations on health.

In addition, it noted that many California doctors had faced severe penalties merely for telling patients that although chiropractic does not cure diseases, patients have reported improved standards of health and wellness. She was accused of repeatedly initiating probes into doctors' websites, advertising and patient education material, even in the absence of complaints about these items.

Among the many complaints lodged against Craw was that her position on the Board constituted a conflict of interest since she also served as a utilization review doctor for SCIF, denying chiropractic claims then using her position with the Board if they complained or appealed.

The WCA investigation also showed that Craw exercised extensive control over the entire Board process. Board members were not notified when actions were taken in their name and weren't even made aware of the complaints registered against Craw until the WCA went directly to the Governor and individual Board members.

At the WCA's insistence, the Board discussed the allegations against Craw during its Oct. 2006 meeting, which drew a record number of doctors who urged the Board to dismiss or replace her, or eliminate her position altogether. The room frequently broke out in applause when testimony was given about Craw's lack of qualifications, blatant abuse of power, and obvious bias against conservative practitioners.

In April of this year, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped in to begin reorganizing the Board. The newly appointed Board is chaired by Richard Tyler, DC, a highly respected chiropractic leader in the state. Many feel that Dr. Tyler has the ability and determination to resolve the Board's long‑standing problems and re‑establish harmonious relations between it and doctors throughout the state.