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. 2020 Nov 18;28(1):65.
doi: 10.1186/s12998-020-00353-2.

Misinformation, chiropractic, and the COVID-19 pandemic

Iben Axén  1   2 , Cecilia Bergström  3 , Marc Bronson  4 , Pierre Côté  5 , Casper Glissmann Nim  6   7 , Guillaume Goncalves  8 , Jeffrey J Hébert  9   10 , Joakim Axel Hertel  11 , Stanley Innes  10 , Ole Kristoffer Larsen  11 , Anne-Laure Meyer  8 , Søren O'Neill  6   7 , Stephen M Perle  12 , Kenneth A Weber 2nd  13 , Kenneth J Young  14 , Charlotte Leboeuf-Yde  7
Affiliations

Misinformation, chiropractic, and the COVID-19 pandemic

Iben Axén et al. Chiropr Man Therap. .

Abstract

Background: In March 2020, the World Health Organization elevated the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic to a pandemic and called for urgent and aggressive action worldwide. Public health experts have communicated clear and emphatic strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hygiene rules and social distancing practices have been implemented by entire populations, including 'stay-at-home' orders in many countries. The long-term health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are not yet known.

Main text: During this time of crisis, some chiropractors made claims on social media that chiropractic treatment can prevent or impact COVID-19. The rationale for these claims is that spinal manipulation can impact the nervous system and thus improve immunity. These beliefs often stem from nineteenth-century chiropractic concepts. We are aware of no clinically relevant scientific evidence to support such statements. We explored the internet and social media to collect examples of misinformation from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand regarding the impact of chiropractic treatment on immune function. We discuss the potential harm resulting from these claims and explore the role of chiropractors, teaching institutions, accrediting agencies, and legislative bodies.

Conclusions: Members of the chiropractic profession share a collective responsibility to act in the best interests of patients and public health. We hope that all chiropractic stakeholders will view the COVID-19 pandemic as a call to action to eliminate the unethical and potentially dangerous claims made by chiropractors who practise outside the boundaries of scientific evidence.

Keywords: Chiropractors; Covid-19; Debate; Infodemic; Professional traditionalism; Spinal manipulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

IA is deputy editor, JH and SP are associate editors and CLY is senior advisory editor on Chiropractic and Manual Therapies. They were not involved in or had any influence over the review process or the decision to publish. None of the remaining authors have any competing interests to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
An overview of the social media and internet origins as well as the countries from where claims originated from chiropractors that adjustments are beneficial in the prevention of COVID-19
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Examples that chiropractic adjustment will boost the immune system
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Examples of referring claims to old chiropractic concepts: a healthy immune system requires a healthy spine
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
An example of referring claims that chiropractic adjustment boosts the immune system to a specific scientific paper
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Example of claiming that people receiving chiropractic care during the 1918 pandemic were less likely to die
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
An example of referring to “evidence”
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
An example of claims stating: it is not about the germ, it’s about the immune system. This poster has been withdrawn. Not due to misleading information, but because” it was used outside the practise”
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
An example of claiming to boost immunity without any reference to evidence
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
The claim that effects of COVID-19 stress on the unborn baby may be alleviated by chiropractic care
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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