World Chiropractic Alliance

The World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA) is a United States not-for-profit organization founded in Arizona in 1989. It represents and promotes a traditional or “straight” chiropractic philosophy centered on the detection and correction of vertebral subluxations, drug-free care, and a vitalistic understanding of health. The organization presents itself as an advocate for chiropractors who believe that chiropractic should retain a distinct identity rather than becoming primarily a form of musculoskeletal or quasi-medical treatment. A central WCA position is that spinal adjustments may be appropriate for people whether or not they report symptoms or have a conventional medical diagnosis. The organization has also promoted the idea that chiropractic care can begin in infancy and continue throughout life. These positions distinguish it from the more mainstream “mixer” approach, under which chiropractors may combine spinal manipulation with broader medical, rehabilitative, or evidence-based clinical methods. The WCA’s philosophy has produced sustained disagreements with larger professional bodies, especially the World Federation of Chiropractic. The Alliance has challenged the federation’s authority to define chiropractic’s professional identity or speak for all chiropractors internationally. Its public advocacy has emphasized the preservation of subluxation-based practice, opposition to restrictions on the number or duration of chiropractic visits, and resistance to claims that chiropractic should be limited mainly to back or neck pain. The organization has also taken positions on safety and public-health issues that have attracted criticism. It has rejected the view that chiropractic neck adjustments pose a significant stroke risk and has opposed vaccination. It has asserted that adjustments can positively affect the immune system, although the cited reference material notes that reviewed evidence did not validate that theory. These positions place the WCA outside the consensus of many medical and public-health authorities. Membership is described as open to chiropractic doctors and students. Policy and administration are handled through a board-of-governors structure, supplemented by an International Board of Governors whose membership has not been fully disclosed in the referenced material. The organization has published or been associated with The Chiropractic Journal and has engaged in professional lobbying and advocacy, although its lobbying activity appears to have declined or ceased after the mid-2000s. The WCA’s history also includes controversies. In the early 1990s, its founder and other associated figures were implicated in the Arizona political-contribution scandal commonly known as AzScam. The referenced material states that Terry Rondberg and another founder, William Immerman, entered agreements concerning civil allegations of illegal contributions and paid fines. The organization and associated individuals were also linked to the Vertebral Subluxation Research Institute, a program criticized for teaching patient-recruitment methods that allegedly encouraged chiropractors to obtain “research volunteers” and convert them into continuing patients. That program ended in 1991. In later advocacy, the WCA opposed media and public campaigns highlighting possible risks from chiropractic treatment. In 2003 it joined the American Chiropractic Association in criticizing coverage of research on risks associated with chiropractic neck manipulation. In 2006, its attorneys demanded removal of transit advertisements seeking people who believed they had been injured by chiropractic care, and the organization subsequently promoted an anti-defamation campaign. The WCA therefore occupies a distinctive position in chiropractic: it is a professional advocacy body focused on defending a traditional subluxation-centered model, while remaining controversial because of its views on evidence, safety, vaccination, and patient care.

The World Chiropractic Alliance was established in Arizona in 1989 by Terry Rondberg and associated chiropractic advocates. From its beginning, the organization focused on defending a “straight” or traditional form of chiropractic that treats vertebral subluxation as the central object of care. This orientation favors spinal adjustment, drug-free practice, and a vitalistic account of health, while rejecting the idea that chiropractic should be defined mainly as treatment for musculoskeletal pain. The WCA’s philosophy has consistently differed from the “mixer” model practiced by many chiropractors, which may incorporate medical diagnosis, rehabilitation, medication, or other mainstream clinical methods. The Alliance has argued that subluxation-based care should be available to asymptomatic people and has opposed professional or legal requirements that symptoms or a medical diagnosis be present before adjustments are provided. It has also promoted the view that chiropractic care can begin at birth and continue throughout life. During the early 1990s, the WCA and people connected with it became involved in two controversies. A WCA lobbyist was implicated in Arizona’s AzScam political-corruption investigation. The reference material states that Rondberg, Immerman, and other WCA principals were linked to illegal political contributions and that Rondberg and Immerman later entered civil agreements with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and paid fines. The organization was also associated with the Vertebral Subluxation Research Institute, a program criticized for encouraging chiropractors to recruit people as research volunteers and subsequently seek to retain them as patients. The program ended in 1991. The Alliance developed an adversarial relationship with the World Federation of Chiropractic, disputing the federation’s ability to define chiropractic identity or represent the profession internationally. The WCA has portrayed itself as a defender of practitioners who believe that mainstream professional groups have reduced chiropractic to a limited musculoskeletal service. This advocacy extended to public disputes about the safety of neck manipulation, the appropriate number of visits, care for children, and the legitimacy of subluxation theory. In 2002, Leona Marie Fischer, described as a WCA International Board of Governors member, represented the organization on a chiropractic advisory committee associated with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2003, the WCA joined the American Chiropractic Association in criticizing news coverage of a Neurology report concerning risks associated with chiropractic neck adjustment. In 2006, the organization’s attorneys challenged bus advertisements placed by a chiropractic-injury awareness group, and the WCA subsequently described its response as an anti-defamation campaign. The WCA has also taken controversial positions on vaccination and immune-system claims. It has opposed vaccinations and argued that chiropractic adjustments have beneficial effects on immunity, although the referenced material reports that reviewed data did not substantiate that proposition. The organization denies that chiropractic adjustments pose a significant stroke risk, a position that has contributed to disputes with critics and public-health commentators. Membership is open to chiropractic doctors and students. The organization is governed through a board structure and has referred to an International Board of Governors, although the referenced account says that it has not publicly identified all members. Terry Rondberg is identified as founder and chief executive, with Timothy J. Feuling as vice president, Cindy Rondberg as chief financial officer, and Barbara Bigham as communications director. The WCA has operated as a nonprofit advocacy and professional organization rather than as a commercial consumer brand.

• 2006

  Transit-ad campaign dispute

  [1]World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The WCA challenged advertisements seeking reports from people who believed they had been injured by chiropractic care and subsequently promoted an anti-defamation effort.

• 2003

  Public response to reporting on neck-adjustment risks

  [1]World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The WCA joined the American Chiropractic Association in criticizing media coverage of research concerning possible harms associated with chiropractic neck manipulation.

• 2002

  Representation on Veterans Affairs advisory committee

  [1]World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Leona Marie Fischer represented the WCA on a United States Department of Veterans Affairs chiropractic advisory committee.

• 1993

  Civil resolutions in political-contribution case

  [1]World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  Terry Rondberg and William Immerman entered civil agreements related to allegations of illegal political contributions and paid fines.

• 1991

  AzScam controversy and VSRI program conclusion

  [1]World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  A WCA-associated lobbyist became involved in Arizona’s AzScam investigation, while the associated Vertebral Subluxation Research Institute patient-recruitment program was brought to an end.

• 1989

  Organization founded in Arizona

  [1]World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org

  The World Chiropractic Alliance was founded as a not-for-profit corporation, with Terry Rondberg identified as its founder.

A conservative chiropractic advocacy organization defending traditional, subluxation-centered, drug-free practice against medicalization and restrictions imposed by mainstream professional or regulatory institutions.

• Association membership

  Professional membership

  Membership is described as available to chiropractic doctors and students. It provides affiliation with an organization dedicated to traditional, subluxation-centered chiropractic practice and professional advocacy.

• Professional publication

  The Chiropractic Journal

  A chiropractic publication associated with the WCA and used to communicate organizational viewpoints, professional commentary, and responses to criticism of subluxation-based care.

• Professional advocacy · 1989

  Chiropractic advocacy and policy representation

  The organization advocates for chiropractors who emphasize vertebral subluxation correction, drug-free care, and treatment of both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Its activities have included lobbying, policy statements, media responses, and disputes with other professional bodies.

• 1991

  AzScam political-contribution controversy

  A WCA lobbyist was arrested in the Arizona AzScam investigation, and WCA principals were implicated in allegations involving bribery and illegal political contributions.

  Source

• 1991

  Vertebral Subluxation Research Institute patient-solicitation controversy

  A program associated with WCA figures was criticized for teaching chiropractors to recruit research volunteers through telemarketing and other methods and then seek to convert them into continuing patients. The program ended in 1991.

  Source

Read more

• 2006Anti-defamation campaign

  United States

  After attorneys objected to bus advertisements seeking people who believed they had been injured by chiropractic treatment, the WCA launched or promoted an advocacy effort it characterized as an anti-defamation campaign.

  Outcome. The campaign intensified the organization’s confrontation with critics and injury-awareness groups.

  Source
• 2003Response to reporting on chiropractic neck-adjustment risks

  United States

  The WCA worked with the American Chiropractic Association to challenge media coverage that the organizations considered biased after publication of research concerning the risks of chiropractic neck adjustment.

  Outcome. The dispute reinforced the WCA’s public position that chiropractic adjustments do not pose a significant stroke risk.

  Source

• 2006

  Escalate public defense against chiropractic criticismStrategy

  Background

  Bus advertisements sought reports from people who believed they had suffered injuries from chiropractic treatment.

  Action taken

  The WCA’s attorneys issued a cease-and-desist warning, followed by an organizational anti-defamation campaign.

  Aftermath

  The organization continued to present itself as a defender of chiropractic providers against critics, media reports, and legal or regulatory restrictions.

  Source

• 1989

  Adopt a subluxation-centered advocacy strategyStrategy

  Background

  The organization was formed amid disagreements over whether chiropractic should remain a distinct, vitalistic discipline or become primarily a medicalized musculoskeletal service.

  Action taken

  The WCA positioned itself as an advocate for “straight” chiropractors who rely exclusively on subluxation correction and drug-free care.

  Aftermath

  This strategy established the WCA’s distinctive identity and contributed to ongoing conflict with mainstream chiropractic organizations.

  • World Federation of Chiropractic — The WCA challenged the federation’s authority to define chiropractic identity or speak for the entire profession.

  Source

1. 1World Chiropractic Allianceen.wikipedia.org
2. 2World Chiropractic Alliance official websiteworldchiropracticalliance.org