Risk of Harm/Duty to Warn

Did Your Chiropractor Warn You of the Risk of Strokes Induced by Upper Cervical Manipulation?

A prominent legal principle in healthcare-related cases is the dual principle of "risk of harm and duty to warn." A cause of action in a summons and complaint in a lawsuit often has to do with a breach of duty when a doctor or therapist has failed to adequately fulfill his or her duty to warn a patient of the risk of harm.

At the offices of Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Organization, headquartered in New York with a national and international scope, we are most keenly interested in the risk posed by chiropractic upper cervical manipulation. Our organization's board of directors consists of two stroke victims and an attorney advisor. We work with M.D. affiliates and chiropractor affiliates to address such principles as standard of care and failure to warn.

Even Aspirin Can Be Dangerous . . .

Some chiropractors, who resist the concept of risk of stroke associated with upper cervical manipulation, argue that more people die every year from traditional medicine, such as taking aspirin than from chiropractic induced strokes. However, when calculating the number of deaths, we are actually referring to the number of people per dosages of aspirin. The large numbers of people who take 12-16 aspirins a day for several years and get ulcers as a result greatly skew the statistics. Also, aspirin manufacturers and physicians provide clear and detailed warnings of the dangers of chronic aspirin usage. Scientific evidence of the connection between aspirin overdoses and stomach ulcers, as well as the proven benefits of aspirin are readily available.

. . . But . . .

When it comes to strokes and upper cervical manipulation, however, what we have available is ample anecdotal evidence. While that evidence is compelling, it is obvious that a credible, objective, widespread scientific study is vital to determining the efficacy of upper neck manipulations and pain relief, as well as the risk of stroke.

Conclusive Scientific Research is Lacking in the Area of Chiropractic Risks

Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Organization aims to correct this imbalance of knowledge and research. Stroke victims who had received upper cervical manipulation 30 days or less prior to their strokes often become acutely aware of the risk involved, but verifiable, world-class research is not available. Until this can be determined, we believe chiropractors should be more cautious, rather than err on the side of potentially dire consequences to their patients. In the interim, it is our hope to help promote the studies necessary to accurately analyze this issue.

We therefore welcome all interested parties with relevant medical knowledge or anecdotal evidence to join forces with us to change the way things are done when it comes to chiropractic care and duty to warn of risk of harm.

Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Organization is a non-profit. We are dedicated to understanding, evaluating and researching the risks of stroke induced by chiropractic upper cervical manipulation.

We welcome the participation of chiropractors, doctors, lawyers and other interested professionals, including physical therapists and psychological counselors.