Athens 2015: BJD leader to speak on chiropractic's role in new approach to spine disorders

October 13, 2014 — One of Europe’s leading spine and musculoskeletal care experts, Anthony Woolf, MD, will be part of an academic program at the 2015 Joint WFC Congress/ECU Convention.

The announcement was made by the WFC/ECU Joint Organising Committee, which is responsible for putting together the academic and social programs for its flagship event, which takes place at the Athens Hilton Hotel, May 13-16, 2015.

As part of a diverse mix of speakers, Woolf will outline the role that chiropractors should play in a proposed new model for the management of spinal disorders and disability. With a particular interest in the burden of musculoskeletal disease globally, he has repeatedly called for policy-makers to address the identified gaps in the provision and outcomes of care.

A UK-based professor, Woolf is chair of the International Coordinating Committee of the Bone and Joint Decade (BJD), leading a global alliance of professional, scientific, and patient organizations working together to make musculoskeletal health a public health priority. He also heads the European Musculoskeletal Surveillance and Information Network—a new initiative supported by the European Community to promote a comprehensive strategy to minimize the impact of musculoskeletal conditions across Europe.

“We’re delighted that Professor Woolf will be joining us in Athens,” ECU President Oystein Ogre, DC, said. “He is truly one of the global giants in the area of musculoskeletal and spine care at the present time, and all chiropractors should be excited about what he will be saying about the opportunities that are open to us.”

Held in the beautiful and historic city of Athens, the 2015 WFC/ECU Congress is themed The Alpha and Omega of Spinal Healthcare. The Congress will explore the full range of approaches to spinal health and will emphasize the role of chiropractors in both current and future models of care.

“If our conference is to present chiropractors with informed discussion of the future role of chiropractors in spine care, we need to include and hear from the leadership in the medical profession,” WFC President Greg Stewart, DC, of Canada, said. “Professor Woolf is an outstanding and acknowledged international leader for this purpose.”

Full details of the Joint WFC Congress/ECU Convention and how to register can be viewed at www.wfc.org/congress2015.

Pictured: Professor Anthony Woolf (second from left) at the WHO Assembly last May with (from left) WFC President Greg Stewart, WFC Council Member  Deb Kopansky-Giles, and WFC Research Council Member Pierre Côté.

Source: World Federation of Chiropractic