%0 Journal Article
%T The Five Eras of Chiropractic & the future of chiropractic as seen through the eyes of a participant observer
%A J Keith Simpson
%J Chiropractic & Manual Therapies
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/2045-709x-20-1
%X This article examines the chiropractic profession's history by dividing it into five Eras and suggests that there are three options available for the future of the profession. One: maintaining the status quo. Two: uniting under an evidence based scientific approach as partners in the health care delivery system that has buried the "one-cause, one-cure" sacred cow. The steps required to achieve this outcome are outlined. Three: openly dividing the profession into evidence based practitioners and subluxation based practitioners. Adopting this option would allow each branch of the profession to move forward in the health care delivery system unhindered by the other.It is unclear which option the profession will choose and whether the profession is mature enough to follow option two remains to be seen. What is evident is that the time to act is now.This article is based on the second FG Roberts Memorial Lecture, delivered by the author at the Annual Conference of the Chiropractic & Osteopathic College of Australasia, Melbourne, Australia 2011.In the initial FG Roberts Memorial Lecture and the subsequent paper, Dr Reggars recounted some of the many accomplishments that the chiropractic profession has achieved over the past 30 years and how the changes have impacted on chiropractic and the chiropractic profession [1].This paper reviews the origins of chiropractic from the unregulated 19th century health care system in the United States of America and its frequently turbulent journey into the 21st century. It is the author's contention that the culture of chiropractic as it stands is for a large part the result of external forces and that unless and until the profession recognizes how these forces have influenced its development, progression of chiropractic into the 21st century health care system will not occur. Whilst some within the profession may consider this to be a good thing, it will be argued that the survival of the profession hinges upon its acceptance of scienc
%U http://www.chiromt.com/content/20/1/1