Why Do Doctors Not Like Chiropractors?

Chiropractic and Medical Doctor Relations

In the late 1800s and early 1900s there were several different types of “doctors” in the United States and for the most part practicing medicine or healthcare was unregulated. When regulation began, the doctors now known as Medical Doctors lobbied government to control all health care. Most practitioners allowed the newly formed medical establishment to take control. The chiropractors, however did not. Because they did not want to use drugs or perform surgery, and because the medical group did not understand the premise of chiropractic, it caused a deep rift.

The medical doctors did not like the fact that chiropractors worked independently, which made them direct competition. So over a period of years, the medical associations forbade members from working alongside chiropractors as they had in the past. An MD could lose his license if he referred to a chiropractor. This bias ended up in the medical schools. New doctors were trained to see chiropractors as unscientific quacks. This is the basis of why doctors do not like chiropractors.

The Courts Weigh In

A lawsuit finally ended the discrimination. Wilk v. American Medical Association(7th Cir. 1990),was a federal antitrust suit brought against the American Medical Association (AMA) by chiropractor Chester A. Wilk, DC, and four co-plaintiffs. It resulted in a ruling against the AMA.

On September 25, 1987, Getzendanner issued her opinion that the AMA had violated Section 1 of the Sherman Act, and that it had engaged in an unlawful conspiracy in restraint of trade “to contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession.” She further stated that the “AMA had entered into a long history of illegal behavior”. She then issued a permanent injunction against the AMA under Section 16 of the Clayton Act to prevent such future behavior.

Improved Relations Between Chiropractors and Medical Doctors

It is now legal and ethical for medical physicians to work with and refer to doctors of chiropractic and many do. In fact, Dr. Marks has several Medical, Dental, Nursing, Optometric and other healthcare providers as patients. There may still be some bias; that is usually owing to the fact that the average medical doctor has no up close experience working with chiropractors and has no knowledge of the educational and professional standards of chiropractic practice.

Dr. Marks firmly believes that the best patient care comes from all healthcare providers collaborating together for the benefit of the patient.

If you’ve been warned not to see a chiropractor by your medical doctor, then you owe it to yourself to talk with a chiropractor about that. There are situations when a chiropractor is not the doctor of choice, but only a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic can make that decision. Similarly, your chiropractor cannot tell you for certain a particular drug or surgery is warranted. That’s for an expert in those procedures to make.