Press Release

Chiropractic Care is an Essential Healthcare Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2020 (Falls Church, VA) In these challenging times associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) is issuing a statement reaffirming chiropractic as an essential healthcare service. Everyone is under extraordinary levels of stress.

Chiropractic Services represent an essential and necessary component of the health care program of millions of patients of all ages and all walks of life in the United States and worldwide. Timely and consistent access to chiropractic care is essential to the maintenance of the health and wellbeing of this patient population, particularly during times of stress.

The association encourages jurisdictions at all levels to acknowledge and respect that chiropractic is an essential healthcare service even during a pandemic.

It is important to recognize that as of mid-March 2020, there are no recognized cures in conventional medicine or alternative health approaches for COVID-19. There are no vaccines, no drugs, no natural remedies, no alternative therapies that have been tested and the outcomes peer reviewed to meet any evidence-based standard. The public has the right to seek their own pathway to health and well-being. For millions of Americans, that pathway includes regular chiropractic care. For individuals such as those recovering from injury or suffering back pain, chiropractic care is essential on their road to recovery.

ICA President, Stephen P. Welsh, DC, FICA stated, “While Coronavirus-19 has everyone’s attention, it cannot be forgotten that health promotion and non-opioid pain management through chiropractic adjustments of the subluxation is essential and should not be curtailed or restricted because of this pandemic. With churches, schools, restaurants, museums being closed, the ICA reminds authorities that the offices of doctors of chiropractic should be treated no differently than the offices of medical doctors – as an essential health care service.”

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Media Contact: Beth Clay, Acting Executive Director/ Director of Government Relations

Cell: 202-498-4461 – Email: [email protected]

About the International Chiropractors Association

Vision: To empower humanity to optimal life expression, health and human potential through specific and scientific chiropractic care.

Mission: To protect and promote chiropractic throughout the world as a distinct health care profession predicated upon its unique philosophy, science, and art of subluxation detection and correction.

ICA Values

Respect: We acknowledge and honor the diverse perspectives and approaches in the practice of chiropractic and in promoting health, healing, and well-being. We pledge to conduct ourselves with kindness, compassion, direct and honest communication.

Equitability: We advocate for a healthcare system that is just, fair, and free from discrimination. We believe that all people should have equal access to services that promote health and wellbeing, including chiropractic care. We support the inclusion of all licensed health providers that are practicing within the scope and standards of their profession and advocate for compensation that is commensurate and fair for services provided.

Empowerment: We advocate for a health care system that gives people control of their own health and health promoting practices. We foster the development of health promoting capacity in individuals, organizations and health professions through education, knowledge and information, advocacy, access, communication, and collaboration.

Collaboration: We are dedicated to working in respectful dialogue and supportive partnership with others to address the needs of individuals and society for better health and healthcare systems.

Transparency: We act in a way that is easy for others to see what we are doing and why we are doing it. We make available full information required for collaboration, cooperation, and collective decision making.