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World Federation of Chiropractic Expands the "Chiropractic Cartel” Under the Guise of Global Collaboration

Originally published: 2025-01-22

Pictured: Jason Jaeger, William Morgan & Norman Ouzts

The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) has unveiled its latest initiative: the International Chiropractic Education Alliance (ICEA). While marketed as a unifying platform to advance chiropractic education globally, the ICEA is being criticized as a thinly veiled attempt to centralize control over chiropractic education and further marginalize subluxation-focused practitioners. Critics allege this is another step in expanding a monopoly already dominated by a few powerful entities.

A Gathering of Power Players

The inaugural ICEA meeting brought together influential figures from the chiropractic profession, including Richard Brown, DC, Secretary-General of the WFC, and Bill Morgan, DC, President of Parker University. Notable attendees also included Norman Ouzts, DC, CEO of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE), and Jason Jaeger, DC, Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Jaeger is also a Board member of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) and a Board Member of the International Chiropractors Association (ICA). The ICA is a dues paying member of the WFC despite widespread disapproval from members and other members of the ICA Board.

Full FOUNDING MEMBERS of the ICEA include:

During the event, Ouzts described the experience as “invaluable” for the NBCE, emphasizing its role as a “third-party testing authority” and its ability to adapt to trends in chiropractic education. However, critics point out that this "invaluable" role serves to solidify the NBCE's monopoly on testing and certification, a claim reinforced by their participation in the ICEA. NBCE exams are mandated by states and the Council on Chiropractic Education. Both the NBCE and CCE enjoy state mandated monopolies.

Another Monopoly in the Making?

The ICEA framework document explicitly positions the WFC as the host of this new global alliance, leveraging its existing ties with organizations like the WHO. While presented as "apolitical," the ICEA's governance structure places substantial power in the hands of the WFC, raising questions about transparency and representation.

Critics argue that the ICEA is just another mechanism for consolidating control over chiropractic education. The WFC’s historical stance against subluxation-based chiropractic only fuels these concerns. Richard Brown, for instance, has repeatedly disparaged subluxation-focused practitioners, referring to them as “one-trick ponies,” a “damaging minority of evangelists,” a “cult,” and part of a “bygone era.” He has also argued that the concept of subluxation “can’t stand up to scrutiny” and called for the "eradication" of those focused on subluxation in clinical practice.

The ICEC's Role and Its Position Statement

The International Chiropractic Education Collaboration (ICEC), closely aligned with the WFC, has also faced scrutiny for its controversial Position Statement. Derived heavily from the WFC’s 2014 Educational Statement, the ICEC's policies explicitly marginalize traditional chiropractic practices.

The ICEC Position Statement dismisses subluxation as a "vitalistic construct" and declares it unsuitable as a framework for modern chiropractic education. It criticizes foundational practices such as high-volume care models and x-ray analysis for subluxation, labeling them as "inappropriate." This reflects the WFC’s broader agenda to shift the profession towards a mechanistic model that aligns closely with allopathic medicine.

Furthermore, the ICEC and WFC endorse the WHO’s vaccination policies, promoting them as integral to public health. Critics argue that this stance conflicts with chiropractic's historical emphasis on natural health and informed consent, further alienating practitioners who focus on the nervous system's role in health.

In addition to disparaging subluxation focused chiropractors, Brown and the WFC pushed the Covid vaccine and its narrative during the pandemic along with all the other unscientific and unlawful mandates. He oversaw the WFC’s release of their fatally flawed document by WFC researchers that falsely claimed there was no credible evidence that chiropractic care could benefit the immune system. Bill Morgan and his head of research at Parker Katie Pohlman took the WFC’s flawed document and pushed it on the profession warning chiropractors that they would be “under the hand of the law” if they dared make any such claims. The WFC policy was adopted by regulatory boards and trade associations around the world and then used by them to go after chiropractors for educating the public on immunity.

Funding Controversies

Institutions like McTimoney College of Chiropractic and Barcelona College of Chiropractic, once outsiders to accreditation due to their embrace of vitalistic and subluxation-based philosophies, now appear firmly entrenched under the WFC’s umbrella. This shift raises questions, as these institutions, along with Life Chiropractic College West, have historically claimed to uphold vitalistic and subluxation-focused values that seem contradictory to the WFC’s agenda. Critics argue that aligning with the WFC undermines these institutions’ stated principles and represents a troubling compromise for perceived legitimacy within the "Chiropractic Cartel." Their newfound acceptance raises eyebrows, with skeptics attributing it to their alignment with the WFC’s agenda rather than substantial changes in educational quality.

Adding to the backlash is the use of student loan funds to finance participation in the ICEA while thousands of chiropractic graduates have filed Borrower Defense claims, alleging fraud and misrepresentation by chiropractic institutions. The optics of using public funds for international conferences and flaunting the alcohol fueled events on social media—while graduates struggle with debt—have been labeled as tone-deaf.

The Broader Impact

The establishment of the ICEA also highlights the ongoing marginalization of vitalistic chiropractic practices. From dismissing the vertebral subluxation theory to aligning with the WHO’s pharmaceutical and vaccine policies, the WFC and ICEA’s agenda seems to be veering away from chiropractic’s foundational principles. This is particularly troubling given United States President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the WHO, a move that reignited debates about the alignment of chiropractic values with the policies of global organizations like the WHO.

The inclusion of organizations like the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) and NBCE as associate members further illustrates the push for control and a uniform, mechanistic model of chiropractic care. Organizations like the NBCE wield significant influence over accreditation and licensure, yet they lack transparency and outcomes data to justify their dominance.

Conclusion: A Call for Accountability

While the WFC touts the ICEA as a milestone in advancing chiropractic education, its critics argue that it represents a dangerous consolidation of power. The chiropractic profession stands at a crossroads: embrace the WFC's model or challenge the growing influence of what some are calling the "Chiropractic Cartel." Over 50 organizations have united under the banner of the Chiropractic Freedom Coalition, advocating for freedom in chiropractic education, licensure, and practice. This coalition represents a growing resistance to the perceived overreach of entities like the WFC and ICEA, pushing for a more inclusive and diverse approach that honors chiropractic’s foundational principles and allows for greater autonomy in the profession.

CLICK HERE for more on the Chiropractic Freedom Coalition

The question remains: Will the ICEA foster innovation and collaboration, or will it serve as a tool for monopolization, leaving dissenting voices further marginalized? As this debate unfolds, the stakes for the future of chiropractic education and practice could not be higher.

CLICK HERE for more on the WFC

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