Chiropractors take exception to letter

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 50, No. 10, December 2008, Page 550 Letters
By: Mark Strudwick, DC, Kevin Ehl, DC,

These are just two of several responses we received from chiropractors regarding Dr Farquhar’s letter about his experience with a chiropractor. —ED

I would like to respond to a letter by Dr Farquhar in the October BCMJ [50(8):436]. As a chiropractor I read this article and found the behavior of this individual reprehensible. I assume you have had dealings with other chiropractors in Kelowna and know that this type of salesmanship is not the norm. As a profession we have made great strides over the last decades and hold research chairs at major universities (UBC, U of C, and U of T, for example) and work in collaboration with other health care professionals on a daily basis. I am from a family of chiropractors and I take stories such as this extremely personally and re­gret that this person holds a licence to practise and demeans what my father, grandfather, and uncle worked so hard for. As in all professions, there is only so much that can be controlled, and as long as one operates in the grey areas and crosses ethical rather than legal lines, not much can be done. I suppose the silver lining is that eventually word-of-mouth will be his undoing.

—Mark Strudwick, DC
Victoria

Just as there are many different MDs, there are many different DCs. Your experience was from one chiropractor. I suggest you either change the name of your article to “One chiropractic visit (further studies and visits needed)” or “How one chiropractor practises.”

Based on my experiences, I too could write a scathing story of MDs, dentists, RMTs, and yes, even chiropractors; however, I understand there are many people practising these disciplines, and to write blanket statements would do all of these professions a great injustice. Maybe you should go back to the person who referred your daughter and ask her why she told her to get adjusted!

—Kevin Ehl, DC
Port Moody

Mark Strudwick, DC,, Kevin Ehl, DC,. Chiropractors take exception to letter. BCMJ, Vol. 50, No. 10, December, 2008, Page(s) 550 - Letters.


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