Chiropractic 2025:

IAF Recommendations
Chiropractic 2025: Divergent Futures
This section of the report outlines IAF’s recommendations for the chiropractic field given the learning that is
prompted by the scenarios. We believe that across a range of futures, chiropractors can and should prosper as
conservative, cost-effective providers of care for a range of conditions. But to do so, the field must anticipate,
recognize, and overcome significant challenges likely to result from competition from various health care providers,
conflict among chiropractors themselves, and inadequate integration into health care systems, particularly after
health care reform.
IAF has observed changes in the chiropractic profession for almost 20 years. In preparing the recommendations
below, we have reviewed our 1998 and 2005 reports, finding that most of the recommendations therein remain
appropriate either as originally proposed or with minor adjustments to account for recent developments. However, in
this report we have paid particular attention to the diversity that exists within the chiropractic field.
Rather than recommending a unified vision as we have in the past, we now recommend that each of the three major
communities within the profession (focused-scope, middle-scope, and broad-scope) grow and develop authentically.
The differences of opinion across these three communities on some issues are pronounced. Because of these
differences, efforts to develop and pursue a unified vision have failed and are likely to fail in the foreseeable future.
In addition, unity efforts may prevent each of these communities from making its unique contributions to the entire
field. Acknowledging and accepting these differences would allow the field to spend less time and resources on selfcompetition
and internal attacks, and more on activities and strategies that are likely to benefit chiropractors across
all three communities.
With these differences in mind, IAF offers the following recommendations for the chiropractic field as a whole, led
by the middle-scope community. These are preceded by our recommendations for the focused-scope and broadscope
communities.
Recommendations for Focused-Scope Chiropractors
■ Shift communication about chiropractic’s healing qualities from philosophical to a more scientific, evidence-based
terms that will appeal to patients, other chiropractors and providers, and policymakers.
■ Pursue research in the science of self-healing as it relates to chiropractic principles. Conduct this research in
conjunction with other healing traditions that have deep vitalism roots, particularly naturopathy and oriental
medicine. Whenever possible, link this research to related developments in quantum biology research, epigenetics,
and other fields of biological and scientific inquiry.
■ Use research on the science of (self-) healing as a platform for shared language and interests with middle- and
broad-scope chiropractors. Frame this body of work, concepts, and terms in ways that take into account the
interests, concerns, and priorities of other chiropractors and providers, thus promoting interest and collaboration
across chiropractic and other health professions.
■ Develop and maintain research on all focused-scope practices, both to further define the relationship of chiropractic
care and self-healing, and to develop outcome measures for focused-scope providers.
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