The Death Knell
for the Prescription Rights Movement?

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:     Frankp@chiro.org

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A Chiro.Org Editorial

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Our blog has posted extensively on the nascent prescription rights movement since early 2010.

The recent release (2-14-17) of American College of Physician’s new study
”Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain”
appears to raise an evidence-based obstacle in the path to adding Rx rights to our profession.

In essence it recommends AGAINST offering drugs,
although in a nod to prescribers, it does state:

“If pharmacologic treatment is desired, clinicians and patients should select nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or skeletal muscle relaxants”

A review of this complete study and its supporting documents, in particular their new drug review titled: Systemic Pharmacologic Therapies for Low Back Pain clearly reveals that:

-- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had smaller benefits for chronic low back pain than previously observed -- skeletal muscle relaxants are effective for short-term pain relief in acute low back pain but caused sedation.

If a majority of DCs choose to pursue prescription rights, that is their privilege. Based on Organized Medicine’s reactions against this movement in key States, this looks to be an extended and expensive uphill legal battle.

I can’t help but wonder: If DCs expended the same amount effort in developing relationships by referring needy patients for drug-based co-management, whether they might achieve wider professional acceptance, cooperation and increased market-share via embracing our status as a non-threatening, non-drug provider?

Our website does not wish to enforce our opinions on the Profession. But it’s only reasonable into ask whether trying to co-opt medicine’s control of Rx rights might open up a Pandora’s Box of costly litigation and derision during a period when our star continues to rise? Do we really need another setback?

The perfect example of the progress we all seek is to be found in the acceptance of chiropractic in the Department of Veterans Affairs System.   If you have not already read this series of articles, then you are in for a treat.

Return to PRESCRIPTION RIGHTS and EXPANDED PRACTICE

Since 2–16–2017