23 SEPTEMBER 2009
Medical researcher gets it in neck
Jodi Yeats
jyeats@nzdoctor.co.nz
DAILY NEWS: Chiropractors dispute there may be rare damage from neck treatments
Doctor and researcher Shaun Holt is standing by comments he made on Breakfast about chiropractors, despite the Broadcasting Standards Authority upholding a complaint about the opinions he aired.
The BSA says the magazine-style television programme held up Dr Holt as an expert and that he made a number of inaccurate comments.
The New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association complained about Dr Holt’s comments on 9 March, in particular that there are around 700 reports internationally of severe damage, including stroke, from chiropractors manipulating necks (nzdoctor.co.nz, ‘Daily News’, 1 July).
Another aspect of the complaint that was upheld concerned Dr Holt saying his own research, based on surveys of 13 chiropractors, suggests many chiropractors claim to be able to treat asthma and ear infections. However, Dr Holt said it had not been proven that spinal manipulation is an effective treatment for such conditions.
BSA not qualified to rule, Holt says
Dr Holt says the BSA panel consists of two journalists and two lawyers who are not qualified to pass judgement on the relative merits of scientific literature.
He stands by the statements he made, emphasising he has only ever said the danger of stroke is very rare and it is difficult to conclusively prove rare effects.
Research from a UN taskforce (2008) cited by the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association in its complaint says there is an association in time and place in rare instances, but that is as good as the evidence gets for proving rare effects, Dr Holt maintains.
With reference to benefits for asthma and ear infection, there is no logical reason to believe there may be benefits on air passages from spinal manipulation, so the onus of proof is on chiropractors and that hasn’t been established, Dr Holt says.
The New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association in a submission to the BSA agreed there wasn’t conclusive proof, but cited 12 case studies where spinal manipulation and optimal medical treatment improved children’s quality of life and asthma.
Dr Holt says there may be many explanations, including the natural tendency for ill people to get better.
TVNZ considers options
TVNZ is surprised and disappointed by the decision and is currently considering its options, Andi Brotherston, news and current affairs public relations manager says in an email.
The broadcaster has a month to consider an appeal.
The BSA has not made any penalty orders.
NZCA unable to be contacted
The New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association president James Burt couldn’t be reached for comment today.
Related link
David Colquhoun’s “improbable science” blog comment
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