OneChiropractic’s Battle Against Controversial X-ray Guidelines in British Columbia

When the chiropractic regulatory body in BC, Canada, changed X-ray guidelines for chiropractors, OneChiropractic approached a group of doctors to help restore them in the public’s best interests. 

 

Dr Mark Foullong was among those approached. They worked with OneChiropractic founder and executive director Bharon Hoag and their fine team of lawyers, who had already been part of a team of chiropractors and supporters, to reverse the new guidelines. When approached by OneChiropractic and learning of the important work they did, Dr Mark instantly became a contributor to the organization. 

 

“The moment OneChiropractic knew we had a fight out here; they jumped to our assistance. There was already a handful of us to rally troops. We let our colleagues know what was happening and devised a strategy highlighting the need for the then College of Chiropractors of British Columbia to review and hopefully amend the new guidelines. We approached big players nationally and internationally in Xray to get expert opinion and bring awareness to the profession.”  

 

The College of Chiropractic of British Columbia, now the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC, sets and controls the standards of practice in the province and administers Doctor of Chiropractic licenses. The College is mandated to govern the practice of the profession in the public interest. 

 

“But we very strongly believe the new X-ray guidelines put the public at more risk. The College did something to change X-ray guidelines that, to our knowledge, had never been done anywhere else. That is why OneChiropractic’s Chiropractic Defense Council (CDC) jumped right on it. This was ground zero with a danger that if we didn’t stand up to the new X-ray guidelines, it could spread throughout the country, if not the entire profession. These new guidelines were much bigger than one province in Canada. They could potentially become something that could infect the whole profession.” 

 

The new X-ray guidelines were introduced in February 2021. They were supposed to be reviewed three years later, but no changes were made. The review was in the form of a survey given to the profession.  Sadly, the questions were worded in such a way that they only measured compliance with the guideline and did not in any way evaluate the appropriateness of the guideline change or its impact on public safety. 

 

Since then, in a radical change in provincial legislation, a new amalgamated board of mixed alternative health professionals, members of the public, and only two chiropractors have been appointed to regulate Chiropractic in British Columbia.

 

Not long after, a new threat emerged in 2021. When the threat of private healthcare professionals having to receive COVID-19 or stop practicing emerged, OneChiropractic, the CDC, stepped in to help. The battle cost tens of thousands of dollars and ended successfully after six months. 

 

“When Chiropractic is under attack, if we don’t work as a team, we are done. We must stand together, shoulder to shoulder. If we have no army, we will be walked all over. Sadly, this is happening a lot to our profession. We all must realize that the public needs us now more than ever. We need to team up and fight for the people. No one else is going to do it for us. But here’s the unfortunate part.  While the battle to fight looming vaccine mandates for doctors in private practice created many OneChiropractic contributors who feared for their livelihood, the sad reality is that when the threat was removed, several doctors stopped supporting it. 

 

No matter where our profession is attacked, the fight will need resources, and every one of us needs to be part of that. OneChiropractic provides an easy way to do this: One Chiropractic and CDC are ready, willing, and able to do the work; they just need our ongoing support.

 

Dr Mark Foullong is a Doctor of Chiropractic in British Columbia, Canada, and a proud contributor to OneChiropractic.