May 2004

ICA urges halt to PACE

The board of directors of the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) has urged a halt to the PACE program being promoted by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards (FCLB) for the regulation of chiropractic relicensure education.

During its annual meeting held in Washington, DC, April 30 — May 1, the ICA Board adopted a formal resolution of opposition to the PACE initiative. ICA urges all chiropractic state examining boards, state chiropractic organizations, colleges and continuing education providers to join in the effort to have PACE withdrawn by the FCLB

For nearly two years, ICA has sponsored a PACE Study Group chaired by ICA board member Dr. Gary Walsemann of New Hampshire, 12-year veteran of his own state's board of chiropractic examiners. The results of this study process were the basis of ICA's Board action.

"Despite promises of major changes in the initial proposal, ICA can find no compelling evidence that the initial objectives and terms of the PACE proposal have been altered by its proponents," said Walsemann. "This proposal represents a new layer of extra-legal regulation that will, despite all of the assurances given by its advocates, add an unaccountable, unregulated and unnecessary addition to the burden an already hard-pressed chiropractic profession will have to bear, and should be withdrawn."

Among ICA's concerns are:

• Added costs. The initiative will add significantly to the cost of chiropractic postgraduate education, all of which will be passed on to the doctor in the field.

The economic price will be especially painful to the chiropractic colleges, state associations, postgraduate councils and continuing education providers.

• ‘Tax’ on doctors. This proposal appears to represent a completely unwarranted tax on doctors in practice.

• No evidence of benefits to practices. Nothing can be identified that indicates that the quality of clinical practice or other professional elements will be enhanced through this cumbersome and expensive system.

• Post-seminar exams problematic. The issue of examinations following seminars is problematic because of the cost and because of the lack of evidence to indicate that such a burden adds to the educational experience.

According to ICA, of the more than 2,000 individual doctors of chiropractic and the several dozen organizations with whom ICA has consulted or had unsolicited contact, all are opposed to this proposal because of these elements.

ICA urges all state chiropractic board representatives that will be attending the Denver FCLB Annual Conference to speak and vote in opposition to the PACE proposal.

Source: International Chiropractors Association, www.chiropractic.org

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