11/10/03

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CONTINUED COVERAGE OF DISCREDITED "STROKE" ARTICLE RAISES 
 SERIOUS QUESTIONS OF JOURNALISTIC RESPONSIBILITY

The re-appearance of a news report on WNBC New York, based on a 
thoroughly
discredited article that appeared months ago in the medical journal
Neurology, has raised serious questions about the motives of the 
broadcast
agency carrying the story.  Entitled "Study: Chiropractic 
Adjustments May
Increase Risk Of Stroke," the piece appeared on November 6, 2003.  
Presented
by the station's "health" reporter David Marks, MD, the issue of
chiropractic safety was once again raised, but offered no additional
evidence, no credible data and no new perspective, other than the 
opinion of
a medical neurologist, whose experience on the issue of chiropractic
procedures is completely unknown.   The WNBC piece  in question can 
be
viewed on the Internet at
:http://www.wnbc.com/drdavidmarks/2618209/detail.htm.  

 

 

ICA communicated its concerns in a letter to WNBC President and 
General
Manager, Frank Comerford. In this protest letter, signed by ICA 
President
Dr. CJ Mertz, ICA strongly expressed the grave concern of the 
chiropractic
profession over the depiction of chiropractic procedures as 
dangerous, when
the record clearly shows otherwise:

 

"The issue that concerns ICA the most is that of journalistic
responsibility.  The research record has shown that chiropractic is 
by far
the safest of all health care interventions, and the inherently flawed 
study
cited by the WNBC reporter is demonstrably lacking in scientific
credibility.   The question is, 'Why do the story at all?'  The use of 
the
media for what can only be characterized as the needless raising of 
public
alarm about a health profession the safety record of which is so 
clearly
established, raises serious ethical questions and issues of 
journalistic
responsibility.   


Telling consumers that chiropractic procedures involve serious 
risks, when
the research record shows this is simply not the case, is the 
marketplace
equivalent of crying fire in a crowded theatre.  It causes 
unnecessary alarm
to the millions who seek the care of chiropractors nationwide, calls 
into
question the motives and/or the competence of your reporter, and 
most
certainly erodes your credibility as a responsible news source."

 

ICA has been in on-going discussions with Members of Congress and 
has once
again asked for Congressional hearings on the issue of the use of the 
media
for anti-competitive purposes in the health care marketplace.  

 

"This is a situation that requires all of us to speak out," said ICA
President Dr. CJ Mertz.  ICA encourages doctors of chiropractic,
chiropractic organizations and concerned patients to communicate 
their
thoughts on this unfortunate situation to WNBC via e-mail at:
healthnews@wnbc.com, or by fax at 212-664-2994.  Letters may be 
addressed
to:

 

Mr. Frank Comerford

WNBC President and General Manager 

30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112.