The Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB) recently passed a Resolution that prior to obtaining radiographic imaging, a treating Doctor of Chiropractic will inform the patient of the "material risks" of x-ray.

The FCLB, which is not a government agency, does not represent the interests of chiropractic trade organizations, their members nor the patients they serve has adopted language regarding x-ray which represents a threat to public health according to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation and several other organizations. 

Despite actions taken to warn the FCLB regarding the implications of such wording the FCLB went ahead and adopted the Resolution. Prior to the meeting the International Federation of Chiropractors and Organizations (IFCO) and the ChiroFutures Malpractice Insurance Program both sent letters to the FCLB and its President Karlos Bohgosian DC urging them to reconsider the dangerous wording.

Since its adoption, the Chiropractic Society of Texas, the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation (FVS),  the Alliance of New Mexico Chiropractors (ANMC), The Palmetto State Chiropractic Association, the Florida Chiropractic Society and the Georgia Council on Chiropractic have issued statements rejecting the Resolution and urging others to do the same.

The news took several technique related organizations off guard since they were never consulted about the proposed Resolution and many techniques such as upper cervical, Gonstead and posture based techniques rely on radiographs to determine the biomechanical component of vertebral subluxation and use the films to determine vectors for adjusting as well as to establish outcomes following their care. 

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to determine the safety and appropriateness of chiropractic care. This training includes the use of radiographs to detect and characterize vertebral subluxations, congenital and developmental anomalies which may affect the selection of chiropractic techniques, and conditions which may contraindicate certain chiropractic adjusting methods. Furthermore, radiography may reveal conditions requiring referral to another type of health care provider.

Chiropractic state associations, chiropractic research organizations, chiropractic technique organizations, malpractice companies, chiropractic educational programs and individual chiropractors are encouraged to join in rejecting this Resolution by the FCLB.