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Wilk vs. AMA

In the early 1960s, the AMA created the "Committee on Quackery," it's written goal to contain and eliminate the Chiropractic profession.  The AMA told their members it was unethical to associate with Chiropractors in any way, from accepting a patient referral to teaching in a Chiropractic college.

How could Chiropractors learn pathology, the study of disease, for example, if pathologists (who are medical doctors) could not teach them?  Other measures would have to suffice; meanwhile at the Canadian Chiropractic school, a team of four leading pathologists were teaching the Chiropractic students.

In 1975, an anonymous individual claiming to be a disgruntled AMA staff member leaked internal documents about the AMA's crusade to destroy the Chiropractic industry.  The press called the informant "Sore Throat."

In 1977, an antitrust lawsuit (Wilk et al v. AMA et al, No.90-542, October 1990) was filed by five Chiropractors, including Chester Wilk, D.C., from Chicago and Michael D. Pedigo, D.C. from San Leandro, CA.  The lawsuit did not seek monetary damages, but challenged the refusal of medical doctors to aknowledge Chiropractors as healthcare professionals.

In 1987, a judge issued a permanent injunction against the AMA and ruled that the AMA had engaged in a "lengthy, systematic, successful and unlawful boycott."  During the proceedings, it was shown that the AMA attempted to:

• Undermine Chiropractic schools
• Undercut insurance programs for Chiropractic patients
• Conceal evidence of the effectiveness of Chiropractic care
• Subvert government inquiries into the effectiveness of Chiropractic
• Promote other activities that would control the monopoly that the AMA had on health care

The AMA had offered a patient care defense; they were working in the patient's best interest.  However, data from Workers' Compensation Bureau studies served to validate Chiropractic care. Specifically, studies comparing Chiropractic and medical care showed that Chiropractors were "twice as effective as medical physicians, for comparable injuries, in returning injured workers to work at every level of injury severity."

In 1990, the Court of Appeals also found the AMA guilty.

Related links:
Canadian Chiropractic
Straights and Mixers
Children and Chiropractic
About Chiropractic
Wilk vs. AMA: Was It Worth the Fight? by Michael D. Pedigo, D.C. (external link)