Saving the profession from the CCE

by Terry A. Rondberg, D.C., President, World Chiropractic Alliance

For Life University supporters, the recent CCE action to deny accreditation to the world's largest chiropractic college was absolutely wrong -- and political.

For Life University critics, the action was absolutely right -- and political.

No matter where you stand on the question of Life's academic standards, the fact that the CCE's decision was at least partly political is almost a given, despite the agency's much publicized protests to the contrary.

Its agenda is clear to most doctors, although it was enunciated best in a recent e-mail by Stephen M. Perle, D.C., Associate Professor of Clinical Sciences, University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic. He stated: "Now we must undertake the effort to weed the fringe out of the profession (CCE's decision on Life should help reduce their breeding rate). This I believe is an ethical obligation of the profession to the public."

The "we" he refers to are those of like mind who now dominate our professional regulatory agencies, including the CCE and the FCLB. Their desire to "reduce the breeding rate" of subluxation-based doctors is clear from every action they have taken recently, most especially, the implementation of the "PACE" program that would regulate continuing education policy at the state levels.

A recent "open letter" from the CCE (which, in the spirit of fairness and freedom of information, was printed verbatim in the December issue of The Chiropractic Journal claimed, "we are saddened that purposeful misinformation from some sources may have created false perceptions that CCE is a small group of controlling individuals with a political agenda. Nothing could be further from the truth, for CCE is just the opposite."

Sounds good, but their actions made that bit of disingenuous rhetoric rather transparent. Just weeks before the holidays, the CCE announced proposals for radical changes in its "Standards for Chiropractic Programs and Institutions" -- and gave the profession only until Jan. 5 to provide written comments.

Given the importance of the changes, the World Chiropractic Alliance and other organizations asked to be present at the meeting and express their concerns about the proposals. We were all told that, although we could be present, the CCE would not allow ANYONE to actually speak! The King's court, apparently, wasn't going to permit the peasants to talk. We were, like children at an adult's meeting -- to be seen and not heard.

For the majority of chiropractors, such an attitude is insulting and intolerable.

Now, as this month's Chiropractic Journal reports, the CCE isn't content with controlling the chiropractic college educational system. Though the "PACE" program, it and the FCLB seek to control the continuing education system as well. By taking the control of CE programs away from state boards, the FCLB and CCE can better succeed in suppressing information about subluxation-based chiropractic and position the profession as an allopathic, therapeutic discipline.

Anticipating the response by the profession, the FCLB was quick to deny that possibility.

"Sometimes change is difficult, but we want to assure the profession that there is nothing philosophically restrictive about this voluntary program," the FCLB press release soothed in its most patronizing tone. Yet, the program assures automatic program approval only if the provider adheres to PACE policies, procedures and criteria. And what criteria do they use? The same ones outlined by the CCE!

For instance, Criteria 17 notes that: "Continuing education programs must address topics and subject matter areas that are pertinent to the contemporary practice of chiropractic and well balanced in presentation. Subject matter must be evidence-based, professionally credible, and educationally sound." Criterion 26 says: "An evaluation mechanism must be provided at each program for the purpose of allowing all participants to assess their achievement in accord with the program's learning objectives."

In other words, the CCE will determine what "evidence-based" content is permissible, and an "assessment" will be mandated for each program. (Keep in mind that the FCLB offices are inside the NBCE headquarters in Colorado .) The CCE President himself Dr. Reed Phillips has published articles in which he stated that there was more evidence to support his view of chiropractic than there was to support subluxation-based care.

I'm sure you can see what could happen here. You'll be forced to take a medipractic program and pass an exam in it to renew your license. Next step: this would become the standard of care.

The CCE already has control of the educational process and who gets licensed. Its only barrier to total domination is what field doctors must learn. That's why it is intent on imposing its will through the license renewal mechanism.

I know this all sounds paranoid, or extreme. But it is not. It is the very real Orwellian situation we find ourselves in today. It is a threat that could destroy chiropractic as we know it within the next few years.

That's why the WCA, the International Chiropractors Association, and the Federation of Straight Chiropractors and Organizations have set aside any minor philosophical differences and banded together in the Chiropractic Coalition to fight this abuse and win back control of our profession. That's why grassroots groups like the "Doctors for Excellence in Chiropractic Education" are rising up.

That's also why individual subluxation-based doctors who have never wanted to get involved in politics before are realizing they ARE involved, by the mere fact that their profession and livelihood are being threatened with extinction. Their only decision now is what they are going to do about the threat.

Believe it or not, some doctors are actually thinking about leaving the profession, getting out before "it turns allopathic." They feel B.J. rolling over in his grave and figure they'd rather not be around for the demise of the philosophy he espoused. Perhaps they think they can do better if they become insurance claims adjusters.

Luckily, most refuse to let B.J. down that easily. He asked us all to safeguard his "sacred trust," and that means fighting those who would change chiropractic from a unique, drug-free and subluxation-centered health care into a sub-class of medicine.

We are ready to fight, and we can win. Here's what we have to do:

***  Oppose the CCE. No one votes on the membership of the CCE, and they do not have the authority to dictate the nature of our profession. It should be remembered that, according to the U.S. Department of Education, accrediting agencies "that are recognized by the Secretary have no legal control over educational institutions or programs." Furthermore, in order to retain its status as a federally recognized accrediting agency, "The agency must demonstrate that its standards, policies, procedures, and decisions to grant or deny accreditation are widely accepted in the United States by Educators and educational institutions; and licensing bodies, practitioners, and employers in the professional or vocational fields for which the educational institutions or programs within the agency's jurisdiction prepare their students."

Obviously, the CCE's refusal to respond and be accountable to the profession it is supposed to serve puts its status in jeopardy. If it continues to act without the knowledge and approval of the profession, it will be necessary to notify the Department of Education that the CCE's standards, policies, procedures and decisions are NOT widely accepted by the profession, and that it does NOT meet the DoE criteria and should NOT be recognized by the federal government.

***  Oppose the FCLB's PACE program. Doctors must insist that their state boards retain the power to make decisions about CE programs and not follow or be guided by the PACE criteria. Alone or through their state organizations, they must insist they be permitted, through continuing education programs, to have access to a complete range of ideas and information, regardless of the political or philosophical views of the individual board members.

***  Serve on your state board. Every subluxation-based doctor in the country must try to obtain a seat on his or her state chiropractic board. It is important that we re-take control of the profession by restoring a "balance of power" in these important regulatory agencies. We will then need to force national agencies like CCE, FCLB, NCBE (or their successors) to appoint doctors who represent the full spectrum of political perspectives.

***  Join and support organizations -- such as the WCA, ICA , FSCO, and DECE -- that are willing and able to fight the CCE and other power-hungry agencies. Join at least one and, if possible, join them all.

I know this is a tall order. It's going to mean making a huge commitment to your profession, in money and time. But it may be our only, and last, chance to save chiropractic. Consider carefully what your efforts might mean. I urge you to roll up your sleeves with your colleagues and not allow this wonderful profession to be politicized and compromised out of existence.

All our futures depend on the outcome.