A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity

Pierre Côté; André Bussières; J. David Cassidy; Jan Hartvigsen; Greg N. Kawchuk; Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde; Silvano Mior; Michael Schneider; Luc Aillet; Carlo Ammendolia; Bodil Arnbak; Iben Axen; Mirjam Baechler; Florian Barbier-Cazorla; Gaëtan Barbier; Cecilia Bergstrøm; Amber Beynon; Marc André Blanchette; Philip S. Bolton; Alan Breen; Johanne Brinch; Gert Bronfort; Benjamin Brown; Paul Bruno; Mikkel Brunsgaard Konner; Christopher Burrell; Jason W. Busse; David Byfield; Marco Campello; Carol Cancelliere; Linda Carroll; Christine Cedraschi; Charlène Chéron; Ngai Chow; Henrik Wulff Christensen; Stine Claussen; Melissa Corso; Matthew A. Davis; Marine Demortier; Diana De Carvalho; Katie De Luca; Annemarie De Zoete; Klaus Doktor; Aron Downie; Alister Du Rose; Andreas Eklund; Roger Engel; Mark Erwin; James E. Eubanks; Roni Evans; Will Evans; Matthew Fernandez; Jonathan Field; Gilles Fournier; Simon French; Signe Fuglkjaer; Olivier Gagey; Rosemary Giuriato; Jordan A. Gliedt; Christine Goertz; Guillaume Goncalves; Diane Grondin; Mark Gurden; Mitchell Haas; Scott Haldeman; Steen Harsted; Lisbeth Hartvigsen; Jill Hayden; Cesar Hincapié; Jeffrey J. Hébert; Bue Hesby; Lise Hestbæk; Sheilah Hogg-Johnson; Maria A. Hondras; Margaux Honoré; Samuel Howarth; H. Stephen Injeyan; Stanley Innes; Pernille Marie Irgens; Craig Jacobs; Hazel Jenkins; Alan Jenks; Tue Secher Jensen; Melker Johhansson; Alice Kongsted; Deborah Kopansky-Giles; Rikke Kryger; Arnaud Lardon; Henrik Hein Lauridsen; Brent Leininger; Nadège Lemeunier; Christine Le Scanff; Eugene A. Lewis; Kathleen Linaker; Lise Lothe; Andrée Anne Marchand; David McNaughton; Anne Laure Meyer; Peter Miller; Anne Mølgaard; Craig Moore; Donald R. Murphy; Corrie Myburgh; Birgitte Myhrvold; Dave Newell; Genevieve Newton; Casper Nim; Margareta Nordin; Luana Nyiro; Søren O'Neill; Cecilie Øverås; Isabelle Pagé; Mégane Pasquier; Charles W. Penza; Stephen M. Perle; Mathieu Picchiottino; Mathieu Piché; Erik Poulsen; Jeffrey Quon; Tim Raven; Mana Rezai; Eric J. Roseen; Sidney Rubinstein; Louis Rachid Salmi; Petra Schweinhardt; Heather M. Shearer; Laura Sirucek; Delphine Sorondo; Paula J. Stern; Joel Stevans; Mette Jensen Stochkendahl; Kent Stuber; Maja Stupar; John Srbely; Michael Swain; Julita Teodorczyk-Injeyan; Jean Théroux; Haymo Thiel; Lars Uhrenholt; Anneke Verbeek; Leslie Verville; Karl Vincent; Andrew L. Dan Wang; Kenneth A. Weber; James M. Whedon; Jessica Wong; Francesca Wuytack; James Young; Hainan Yu; Dorte Ziegler

doi:10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x

A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity

Pierre Côté, André Bussières, J. David Cassidy, Jan Hartvigsen, Greg N. Kawchuk, Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde, Silvano Mior, Michael Schneider, Luc Aillet, Carlo Ammendolia, Bodil Arnbak, Iben Axen, Mirjam Baechler, Florian Barbier-Cazorla, Gaëtan Barbier, Cecilia Bergstrøm, Amber Beynon, Marc André Blanchette, Philip S. Bolton, Alan BreenJohanne Brinch, Gert Bronfort, Benjamin Brown, Paul Bruno, Mikkel Brunsgaard Konner, Christopher Burrell, Jason W. Busse, David Byfield, Marco Campello, Carol Cancelliere, Linda Carroll, Christine Cedraschi, Charlène Chéron, Ngai Chow, Henrik Wulff Christensen, Stine Claussen, Melissa Corso, Matthew A. Davis, Marine Demortier, Diana De Carvalho, Katie De Luca, Annemarie De Zoete, Klaus Doktor, Aron Downie, Alister Du Rose, Andreas Eklund, Roger Engel, Mark Erwin, James E. Eubanks, Roni Evans, Will Evans, Matthew Fernandez, Jonathan Field, Gilles Fournier, Simon French, Signe Fuglkjaer, Olivier Gagey, Rosemary Giuriato, Jordan A. Gliedt, Christine Goertz, Guillaume Goncalves, Diane Grondin, Mark Gurden, Mitchell Haas, Scott Haldeman, Steen Harsted, Lisbeth Hartvigsen, Jill Hayden, Cesar Hincapié, Jeffrey J. Hébert, Bue Hesby, Lise Hestbæk, Sheilah Hogg-Johnson, Maria A. Hondras, Margaux Honoré, Samuel Howarth, H. Stephen Injeyan, Stanley Innes, Pernille Marie Irgens, Craig Jacobs, Hazel Jenkins, Alan Jenks, Tue Secher Jensen, Melker Johhansson, Alice Kongsted, Deborah Kopansky-Giles, Rikke Kryger, Arnaud Lardon, Henrik Hein Lauridsen, Brent Leininger, Nadège Lemeunier, Christine Le Scanff, Eugene A. Lewis, Kathleen Linaker, Lise Lothe, Andrée Anne Marchand, David McNaughton, Anne Laure Meyer, Peter Miller, Anne Mølgaard, Craig Moore, Donald R. Murphy, Corrie Myburgh, Birgitte Myhrvold, Dave Newell, Genevieve Newton, Casper Nim, Margareta Nordin, Luana Nyiro, Søren O'Neill, Cecilie Øverås, Isabelle Pagé, Mégane Pasquier, Charles W. Penza, Stephen M. Perle, Mathieu Picchiottino, Mathieu Piché, Erik Poulsen, Jeffrey Quon, Tim Raven, Mana Rezai, Eric J. Roseen, Sidney Rubinstein, Louis Rachid Salmi, Petra Schweinhardt, Heather M. Shearer, Laura Sirucek, Delphine Sorondo, Paula J. Stern, Joel Stevans, Mette Jensen Stochkendahl, Kent Stuber, Maja Stupar, John Srbely, Michael Swain, Julita Teodorczyk-Injeyan, Jean Théroux, Haymo Thiel, Lars Uhrenholt, Anneke Verbeek, Leslie Verville, Karl Vincent, Andrew L. Dan Wang, Kenneth A. Weber, James M. Whedon, Jessica Wong, Francesca Wuytack, James Young, Hainan Yu, Dorte Ziegler

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. Main body: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. Conclusion: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system.

Original language	English
Article number	21
Journal	Chiropractic and Manual Therapies
Volume	28
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x
Publication status	Published - 4 May 2020

Funding

PC reports research grants unrelated to this work from Aviva Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Canada Research Chair Program, Canadian chiropractic Association, Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation, College of Chiropractors of British Columbia, Et liv i bevegelse” (ELIB), French Chiropractic Association, Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Finance, Ontario Trillium Foundation; travel expenditures unrelated to this work from Griffith University - Whiplash Symposium 2017, Eurospine, Southern Denmark University, Institut Franco-Europeen de Chiro-praxie, Karolinska Institutet, North American Spine Society, University of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres, University of Zurich, World Federation of Chiropractic; fees medical-legal expertise from the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association. He is the Chair of the World Federation of Chiropractic Research Disability and Rehabilitation Committee. AB reports research grants unrelated to this work from University of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres, McGill University, Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain, Canadian Institutes of Health Research; fees medical-legal expertise from the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association. GNK reports active research grants unrelated to this work from The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research, The National Institutes of Health, The Alberta Spine Foundation, The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, The New Frontiers in Research Fund and the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation. Travel expenditures unrelated to this work in the past year include Kiropraktik i Sverige Live, Et liv i bevegelse” (ELIB), the Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, The American Chiropractic Association, The National Institutes of Health, The British Columbia Chiropractic Association, and The World Federation of Chiropractic. He is the Chair of the World Federation of Chiropractic Research Council. Fees for medical-legal expertise unrelated to this work from the Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association. JH reports that he holds multiple research grants from Danish and international funding agencies and charities. He has received coverage of travel expenditures from multiple sources internationally in connection with speaking engagements. Within the past year he has received speaking fees from Parker Seminars and Novartis. He is member of the World Federation of Chiropractic Research Council. SM reports research grants unrelated to this work from Ontario Chiropractic Association, Canadian Chiropractic Association, and Canadian Spinal Research Foundation. MS reports support from research grants unrelated to this work from the National Institutes of Health, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh and NCMIC Foundation; honoraria from NCMIC speaker’s bureau; fees from medico-legal consulting services. JDC and CLY declare that they have no competing interests.

Funders	Funder number
Alberta Spine Foundation
Aviva Canada
Canadian Chiropractic Association, and Canadian Spinal Research Foundation
Canadian Chiropractic Protective Association
Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation
Canadian chiropractic Association
Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal
College of Chiropractors of British Columbia
French Chiropractic Association
Institut Franco-Europeen de Chiro-praxie
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Ontario Chiropractic Association
University of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres
National Institutes of Health
North American Spine Society
NCMIC Foundation
University of Pittsburgh
McGill University
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Griffith University
Karolinska Institutet
Syddansk Universitet
Universität Zürich

Keywords

Chiropractic
Coronavirus
Immunity
Pseudoscience
Spinal manipulation

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x

Persistent URL (handle)

Copy link address

Cite this

Côté, P., Bussières, A., Cassidy, J. D., Hartvigsen, J., Kawchuk, G. N., Leboeuf-Yde, C., Mior, S., Schneider, M., Aillet, L., Ammendolia, C., Arnbak, B., Axen, I., Baechler, M., Barbier-Cazorla, F., Barbier, G., Bergstrøm, C., Beynon, A., Blanchette, M. A., Bolton, P. S., ... Ziegler, D. (2020). A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies, 28(1), Article 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x

@article{01e611a4dcb24911901e01e5a7351e38,

title = "A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity",

abstract = "Background: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. Main body: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. Conclusion: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system.",

keywords = "Chiropractic, Coronavirus, Immunity, Pseudoscience, Spinal manipulation",

author = "Pierre C{\^o}t{\'e} and Andr{\'e} Bussi{\`e}res and Cassidy, {J. David} and Jan Hartvigsen and Kawchuk, {Greg N.} and Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde and Silvano Mior and Michael Schneider and Luc Aillet and Carlo Ammendolia and Bodil Arnbak and Iben Axen and Mirjam Baechler and Florian Barbier-Cazorla and Ga{\"e}tan Barbier and Cecilia Bergstr{\o}m and Amber Beynon and Blanchette, {Marc Andr{\'e}} and Bolton, {Philip S.} and Alan Breen and Johanne Brinch and Gert Bronfort and Benjamin Brown and Paul Bruno and Konner, {Mikkel Brunsgaard} and Christopher Burrell and Busse, {Jason W.} and David Byfield and Marco Campello and Carol Cancelliere and Linda Carroll and Christine Cedraschi and Charl{\`e}ne Ch{\'e}ron and Ngai Chow and Christensen, {Henrik Wulff} and Stine Claussen and Melissa Corso and Davis, {Matthew A.} and Marine Demortier and {De Carvalho}, Diana and {De Luca}, Katie and {De Zoete}, Annemarie and Klaus Doktor and Aron Downie and {Du Rose}, Alister and Andreas Eklund and Roger Engel and Mark Erwin and Eubanks, {James E.} and Roni Evans and Will Evans and Matthew Fernandez and Jonathan Field and Gilles Fournier and Simon French and Signe Fuglkjaer and Olivier Gagey and Rosemary Giuriato and Gliedt, {Jordan A.} and Christine Goertz and Guillaume Goncalves and Diane Grondin and Mark Gurden and Mitchell Haas and Scott Haldeman and Steen Harsted and Lisbeth Hartvigsen and Jill Hayden and Cesar Hincapi{\'e} and H{\'e}bert, {Jeffrey J.} and Bue Hesby and Lise Hestb{\ae}k and Sheilah Hogg-Johnson and Hondras, {Maria A.} and Margaux Honor{\'e} and Samuel Howarth and Injeyan, {H. Stephen} and Stanley Innes and Irgens, {Pernille Marie} and Craig Jacobs and Hazel Jenkins and Alan Jenks and Jensen, {Tue Secher} and Melker Johhansson and Alice Kongsted and Deborah Kopansky-Giles and Rikke Kryger and Arnaud Lardon and Lauridsen, {Henrik Hein} and Brent Leininger and Nad{\`e}ge Lemeunier and {Le Scanff}, Christine and Lewis, {Eugene A.} and Kathleen Linaker and Lise Lothe and Marchand, {Andr{\'e}e Anne} and David McNaughton and Meyer, {Anne Laure} and Peter Miller and Anne M{\o}lgaard and Craig Moore and Murphy, {Donald R.} and Corrie Myburgh and Birgitte Myhrvold and Dave Newell and Genevieve Newton and Casper Nim and Margareta Nordin and Luana Nyiro and S{\o}ren O'Neill and Cecilie {\O}ver{\aa}s and Isabelle Pag{\'e} and M{\'e}gane Pasquier and Penza, {Charles W.} and Perle, {Stephen M.} and Mathieu Picchiottino and Mathieu Pich{\'e} and Erik Poulsen and Jeffrey Quon and Tim Raven and Mana Rezai and Roseen, {Eric J.} and Sidney Rubinstein and Salmi, {Louis Rachid} and Petra Schweinhardt and Shearer, {Heather M.} and Laura Sirucek and Delphine Sorondo and Stern, {Paula J.} and Joel Stevans and Stochkendahl, {Mette Jensen} and Kent Stuber and Maja Stupar and John Srbely and Michael Swain and Julita Teodorczyk-Injeyan and Jean Th{\'e}roux and Haymo Thiel and Lars Uhrenholt and Anneke Verbeek and Leslie Verville and Karl Vincent and {Dan Wang}, {Andrew L.} and Weber, {Kenneth A.} and Whedon, {James M.} and Jessica Wong and Francesca Wuytack and James Young and Hainan Yu and Dorte Ziegler",

year = "2020",

month = may,

day = "4",

doi = "10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x",

language = "English",

volume = "28",

journal = "Chiropractic and Manual Therapies",

issn = "2045-709X",

publisher = "BioMed Central",

number = "1",

}

Côté, P, Bussières, A, Cassidy, JD, Hartvigsen, J, Kawchuk, GN, Leboeuf-Yde, C, Mior, S, Schneider, M, Aillet, L, Ammendolia, C, Arnbak, B, Axen, I, Baechler, M, Barbier-Cazorla, F, Barbier, G, Bergstrøm, C, Beynon, A, Blanchette, MA, Bolton, PS, Breen, A, Brinch, J, Bronfort, G, Brown, B, Bruno, P, Konner, MB, Burrell, C, Busse, JW, Byfield, D, Campello, M, Cancelliere, C, Carroll, L, Cedraschi, C, Chéron, C, Chow, N, Christensen, HW, Claussen, S, Corso, M, Davis, MA, Demortier, M, De Carvalho, D, De Luca, K, De Zoete, A, Doktor, K, Downie, A, Du Rose, A, Eklund, A, Engel, R, Erwin, M, Eubanks, JE, Evans, R, Evans, W, Fernandez, M, Field, J, Fournier, G, French, S, Fuglkjaer, S, Gagey, O, Giuriato, R, Gliedt, JA, Goertz, C, Goncalves, G, Grondin, D, Gurden, M, Haas, M, Haldeman, S, Harsted, S, Hartvigsen, L, Hayden, J, Hincapié, C, Hébert, JJ, Hesby, B, Hestbæk, L, Hogg-Johnson, S, Hondras, MA, Honoré, M, Howarth, S, Injeyan, HS, Innes, S, Irgens, PM, Jacobs, C, Jenkins, H, Jenks, A, Jensen, TS, Johhansson, M, Kongsted, A, Kopansky-Giles, D, Kryger, R, Lardon, A, Lauridsen, HH, Leininger, B, Lemeunier, N, Le Scanff, C, Lewis, EA, Linaker, K, Lothe, L, Marchand, AA, McNaughton, D, Meyer, AL, Miller, P, Mølgaard, A, Moore, C, Murphy, DR, Myburgh, C, Myhrvold, B, Newell, D, Newton, G, Nim, C, Nordin, M, Nyiro, L, O'Neill, S, Øverås, C, Pagé, I, Pasquier, M, Penza, CW, Perle, SM, Picchiottino, M, Piché, M, Poulsen, E, Quon, J, Raven, T, Rezai, M, Roseen, EJ, Rubinstein, S, Salmi, LR, Schweinhardt, P, Shearer, HM, Sirucek, L, Sorondo, D, Stern, PJ, Stevans, J, Stochkendahl, MJ, Stuber, K, Stupar, M, Srbely, J, Swain, M, Teodorczyk-Injeyan, J, Théroux, J, Thiel, H, Uhrenholt, L, Verbeek, A, Verville, L, Vincent, K, Dan Wang, AL, Weber, KA, Whedon, JM, Wong, J, Wuytack, F, Young, J, Yu, H & Ziegler, D 2020, 'A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity', Chiropractic and Manual Therapies, vol. 28, no. 1, 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x

TY - JOUR

T1 - A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity

AU - Côté, Pierre

AU - Bussières, André

AU - Cassidy, J. David

AU - Hartvigsen, Jan

AU - Kawchuk, Greg N.

AU - Leboeuf-Yde, Charlotte

AU - Mior, Silvano

AU - Schneider, Michael

AU - Aillet, Luc

AU - Ammendolia, Carlo

AU - Arnbak, Bodil

AU - Axen, Iben

AU - Baechler, Mirjam

AU - Barbier-Cazorla, Florian

AU - Barbier, Gaëtan

AU - Bergstrøm, Cecilia

AU - Beynon, Amber

AU - Blanchette, Marc André

AU - Bolton, Philip S.

AU - Breen, Alan

AU - Brinch, Johanne

AU - Bronfort, Gert

AU - Brown, Benjamin

AU - Bruno, Paul

AU - Konner, Mikkel Brunsgaard

AU - Burrell, Christopher

AU - Busse, Jason W.

AU - Byfield, David

AU - Campello, Marco

AU - Cancelliere, Carol

AU - Carroll, Linda

AU - Cedraschi, Christine

AU - Chéron, Charlène

AU - Chow, Ngai

AU - Christensen, Henrik Wulff

AU - Claussen, Stine

AU - Corso, Melissa

AU - Davis, Matthew A.

AU - Demortier, Marine

AU - De Carvalho, Diana

AU - De Luca, Katie

AU - De Zoete, Annemarie

AU - Doktor, Klaus

AU - Downie, Aron

AU - Du Rose, Alister

AU - Eklund, Andreas

AU - Engel, Roger

AU - Erwin, Mark

AU - Eubanks, James E.

AU - Evans, Roni

AU - Evans, Will

AU - Fernandez, Matthew

AU - Field, Jonathan

AU - Fournier, Gilles

AU - French, Simon

AU - Fuglkjaer, Signe

AU - Gagey, Olivier

AU - Giuriato, Rosemary

AU - Gliedt, Jordan A.

AU - Goertz, Christine

AU - Goncalves, Guillaume

AU - Grondin, Diane

AU - Gurden, Mark

AU - Haas, Mitchell

AU - Haldeman, Scott

AU - Harsted, Steen

AU - Hartvigsen, Lisbeth

AU - Hayden, Jill

AU - Hincapié, Cesar

AU - Hébert, Jeffrey J.

AU - Hesby, Bue

AU - Hestbæk, Lise

AU - Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah

AU - Hondras, Maria A.

AU - Honoré, Margaux

AU - Howarth, Samuel

AU - Injeyan, H. Stephen

AU - Innes, Stanley

AU - Irgens, Pernille Marie

AU - Jacobs, Craig

AU - Jenkins, Hazel

AU - Jenks, Alan

AU - Jensen, Tue Secher

AU - Johhansson, Melker

AU - Kongsted, Alice

AU - Kopansky-Giles, Deborah

AU - Kryger, Rikke

AU - Lardon, Arnaud

AU - Lauridsen, Henrik Hein

AU - Leininger, Brent

AU - Lemeunier, Nadège

AU - Le Scanff, Christine

AU - Lewis, Eugene A.

AU - Linaker, Kathleen

AU - Lothe, Lise

AU - Marchand, Andrée Anne

AU - McNaughton, David

AU - Meyer, Anne Laure

AU - Miller, Peter

AU - Mølgaard, Anne

AU - Moore, Craig

AU - Murphy, Donald R.

AU - Myburgh, Corrie

AU - Myhrvold, Birgitte

AU - Newell, Dave

AU - Newton, Genevieve

AU - Nim, Casper

AU - Nordin, Margareta

AU - Nyiro, Luana

AU - O'Neill, Søren

AU - Øverås, Cecilie

AU - Pagé, Isabelle

AU - Pasquier, Mégane

AU - Penza, Charles W.

AU - Perle, Stephen M.

AU - Picchiottino, Mathieu

AU - Piché, Mathieu

AU - Poulsen, Erik

AU - Quon, Jeffrey

AU - Raven, Tim

AU - Rezai, Mana

AU - Roseen, Eric J.

AU - Rubinstein, Sidney

AU - Salmi, Louis Rachid

AU - Schweinhardt, Petra

AU - Shearer, Heather M.

AU - Sirucek, Laura

AU - Sorondo, Delphine

AU - Stern, Paula J.

AU - Stevans, Joel

AU - Stochkendahl, Mette Jensen

AU - Stuber, Kent

AU - Stupar, Maja

AU - Srbely, John

AU - Swain, Michael

AU - Teodorczyk-Injeyan, Julita

AU - Théroux, Jean

AU - Thiel, Haymo

AU - Uhrenholt, Lars

AU - Verbeek, Anneke

AU - Verville, Leslie

AU - Vincent, Karl

AU - Dan Wang, Andrew L.

AU - Weber, Kenneth A.

AU - Whedon, James M.

AU - Wong, Jessica

AU - Wuytack, Francesca

AU - Young, James

AU - Yu, Hainan

AU - Ziegler, Dorte

PY - 2020/5/4

Y1 - 2020/5/4

N2 - Background: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. Main body: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. Conclusion: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system.

AB - Background: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. Main body: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. Conclusion: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system.

KW - Chiropractic

KW - Coronavirus

KW - Immunity

KW - Pseudoscience

KW - Spinal manipulation

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/bd84dca3-47c6-37f3-846e-2717197daa15/

U2 - 10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x

DO - 10.1186/s12998-020-00312-x

M3 - Article

C2 - 32366319

SN - 2045-709X

VL - 28

JO - Chiropractic and Manual Therapies

JF - Chiropractic and Manual Therapies

IS - 1

M1 - 21

ER -

A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this