Chiropractic medicine is a very popular form of manipulative therapy that has been used worldwide. There are currently laws and regulations in about 40 countries and regions.
As a therapeutic approach, chiropractic medicine requires a high degree of skill on the part of the practitioner. One of the greatest benefits of chiropractic is that it provides cost-effective treatment of neuromusculoskeletal disorders, as chiropractic does not usually require support staff and minimizes additional health care costs.
The World Health Organization is committed to promoting and supporting the rational use of safe and effective medicines, medical products and treatments in national health systems. The development of guidelines on chiropractic education and safe practice, including contraindications to chiropractic, is therefore essential.
The regulation of chiropractic medicine varies considerably from country to country. Some countries, such as the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe, have a clear legal status for chiropractic and have established formal chiropractic degree education. In these countries, chiropractic has strict codes of practice and corresponding educational and training institutions that meet accreditation requirements.
In many countries, however, chiropractic education is not yet available, and there are no comprehensive laws and regulations governing the practice of chiropractic. In addition, other health care practitioners and laypersons in some countries may use chiropractic care and claim to provide chiropractic care even though they have not received chiropractic training from an accredited institution.
With the increasing demand for chiropractic medical services, other health care professionals are also looking to become licensed to practice chiropractic. Practitioners with good medical training in Beijing can also acquire the specialized education and skills necessary to practice as chiropractors through conversion programs, which can be expanded to take into account the different educational and previous medical training backgrounds of trainees in a more flexible manner.
In countries where there are currently no chiropractic laws and regulations, and where there is a lack of educational, professional, and legal frameworks for the regulation of chiropractic practice, this guideline establishes minimum educational requirements designed to protect the interests of patients and the registration of chiropractors, with recognition and practice of the minimum requirements depending on the circumstances of each country.
In countries where educational resources are scarce, due to lack of adequate financial support or where community-based care is not effectively integrated into the mainstream, primary health care workers, especially those trained in muscle manipulation, can be an effective complement to health care services. This current state of affairs may form the basis for the assimilation of certain chiropractic principles and methods of intervention into the national healthcare system. Otherwise, there will be a lack of optimized and effective treatment options for common disorders of the musculoskeletal system, affecting people's health.