Chiropractic research

Unlike conventional medicine, chiropractic does not use implantable medical devices or pharmaceutical drugs, so it has not received research funding from device or pharmaceutical companies.

Despite this, the chiropractic profession has conducted clinical research throughout its history. Most chiropractic colleges have self-funded their research programs with support from chiropractic foundations. Federal support for chiropractic research began in 1992 with the establishment of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) of the National Institutes of Health.

When is chiropractic treatment effective?

The majority of clinical research in chiropractic has focused on its effectiveness in caring for spine-related injuries and complications from spinal stress. The studies usually compare a typical chiropractic regimen with commonly utilized pharmaceuticals, or combinations of therapies. Any lasting effects of treatment are measured over time.