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Chiropractic claims in the English-speaking world
1Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, England.
The New Zealand Medical Journal
|April 15, 2010
Summary
Most chiropractors and associations make unproven treatment claims online. This widespread issue impacts public health and ethics, with few promoting evidence-backed care like lower back pain treatment.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Public Health
- Healthcare Ethics
Background:
- Chiropractors and associations frequently claim effectiveness for conditions lacking scientific evidence.
- This study investigated unsubstantiated therapeutic claims made by chiropractors and their associations online.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of chiropractic claims for specific conditions on the World Wide Web.
- To assess claims for asthma, headache/migraine, infant colic, ear infection, neck pain, whiplash, and lower back pain.
Main Methods:
- A review of 200 chiropractor websites and 9 chiropractic associations' websites across five English-speaking countries.
- Data collected between October 26, 2008, and November 26, 2008.
- Outcome measure: direct or indirect claims regarding eight specified conditions.
Main Results:
- 95% of chiropractor websites made unsubstantiated claims for at least one condition.
- 38% of websites made unsubstantiated claims for all conditions lacking sound evidence.
- 90% of websites and 100% of associations claimed treatment for headache/migraine; 28% of websites claimed lower back pain.
Conclusions:
- The majority of English-speaking chiropractors and associations make unsubstantiated therapeutic claims.
- A significant public health and ethical concern arises from these widespread unsubstantiated claims.
- Only a minority of websites promoted lower back pain treatment, despite some supporting evidence.
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