Doctor of Chiropractic Scott Haldeman honored with the Sheikh Zayed International Award for Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine

On Feb. 26, The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the value of chiropractic care, announced F4CP supporter and chiropractic pioneer, Scott Haldeman, DC, MD, PhD, FRCP(C), FAAN, FCCS(C), has been presented with the Sheikh Zayed International Award for Complementary Medicine for his work on spine pain and chiropractic in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The aim of the award is “to recognize and reward excellence in complementary medicine by honoring esteemed scientists and medical practitioners for their distinguished contributions to improve the quality of life for humanity, advance knowledge and benefit humanity.”

The award bears the name of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a visionary statesman, who invested heavily in health care in the UAE.

“Dr. Haldeman has made a groundbreaking difference in the management of patients inflicted with spinal pain as well as our understanding of chiropractic and complementary health care,” said Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president of F4CP. “His tireless research, advocacy, philanthropy and teaching surrounding chiropractic care and spinal disorders are an inspiration. I can’t think of a more deserving leader in our industry for this award.”

“It is a tremendous honor for me to receive this international award for work I care so passionately about and have spent 45 years of my life pursuing,” Haldeman said. “More importantly, I am pleased that this award recognizes the importance of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine, including chiropractic, and the relief and improved quality of life it brings to patients with spinal pain and other neuro-musculoskeletal disorders around the world.”

To view the Foundation’s tribute to Haldeman, click on this video.

Chiropractic Advocate

Haldeman was the first chiropractor to obtain a PhD in a biological science, as well as the first chiropractor to obtain an allopathic medical degree and to specialize in neurology. He practiced as a chiropractor for more than 10 years and as a board-certified neurologist for 35 years, working within a university medical hospital, Veterans Administration hospital and in private practice.

Throughout his career, Haldeman has been an advocate for the inclusion of evidence-based chiropractic and complementary health care. He has been asked to provide testimony or act as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense and Veterans Administration, as well as for commissions of enquiry in New Zealand and Australia.

He helped organize the U.S. National Institutes of Health study on Spinal Manipulative Therapy and chaired the Commission to produce “Guidelines for Chiropractic Quality Assurance and Practice Parameters,” the first attempt by any complementary health care profession to set standards of care for itself.

Similarly, as an author, Haldeman edited three editions of the most widely used textbooks in the chiropractic profession, as well as authored or edited multiple additional textbooks and journal supplements on spinal pathology and pain that are widely used by medical and other professionals who manage spinal disorders.

Informing these works, Haldeman conducted numerous published clinical studies, many involving the impact of peripheral nerve compression, glutamate as a synaptic transmitter in the sensory pathways in the brain and on electrodiagnostic testing of spinal nerve and spinal cord function. His investigations resulted in developing new testing methods for the diagnosis of neurologic disorders affecting bowel and bladder functions.

Industry Leader and Philanthropist

Haldeman has been elected president of the North American Spine Society, the American Back Society and the North American Academy of Manipulative Medicine. He served as Founder and Chairman of the Research Council of the World Federation of Chiropractic and is currently Chair of the Global Spine Care Initiative, a multidisciplinary task force of 68 spine care clinicians and researchers from 24 countries.

As a philanthropist, Haldeman and his wife Joan founded the World Spine Care charity registered in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Its mission is to improve lives in underserved communities and “to create a world in which everyone has access to the highest quality spine care possible.” World Spine Care has established six clinics providing care for spinal disorders in four countries: Botswana, India, Dominican Republic and Ghana. It has facilitated more than 50,000 patient encounters to date.

“Part of our organization’s mission is to recognize excellence and achievement in chiropractic care and the positive outcomes it delivers to patients worldwide,” McAllister said. “This award for Dr. Haldeman encapsulates our mission, which is why it is such an honor for us to share the news about one of our supporters who is a recognized leader in chiropractic around the world.”

About Foundation for Chiropractic Progress

A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) informs the general public about the value of chiropractic care and its role in drug-free pain management through award-winning educational campaigns. Visit f4cp.org; call 866-901-F4CP (3427).