The World Chiropractic Alliance has developed and submitted a document on chiropractic education and training, as well as important safety issues, at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO will use the document, "Guidelines on Training and Safety in Chiropractic," when preparing its global policy on chiropractic care. It also requested a similar document from the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC).

The WCA material includes information on the history and growth of chiropractic, as well as its unique character as a drug-free health care system. In producing the document, Christopher Kent, D.C., the WCA's liaison to the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), used the graphics he previously prepared for WHO as a Powerpoint presentation. The WCA is recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) associated with the DPI and has a working relationship with WHO. Dr. Kent is a member of the WCA Board of Directors and a renowned chiropractic researcher.

The document also includes detailed information on the education required for a D.C. degree, as well as licensing requirements in the U.S. and around the world. It notes that, in North America, chiropractors are licensed as direct contact health care providers. However, there are several different approaches to chiropractic regulation in other regions of the world.

In some nations, chiropractic is not regulated by law, but practice is permitted under common law and no formal qualifications are required. In other countries, chiropractic is considered the practice of medicine and only qualified medical practitioners may practice it. In still others, chiropractors are licensed under some other health care act.

Increasingly, countries are considering chiropractic laws and the WCA is working closely with WHO to ensure that the unique identity of chiropractic as a drug-free approach which focuses on the detection and correction of vertebral subluxation is maintained.