ACA Offers Spokespersons, Stroke Resources in Wake of Media Coverage

 

Reports in the media this week have revealed that the Los Angeles coroner’s office cited injury from neck manipulation as a factor in the accidental death of model and social media celebrity Katie May, who passed away in February. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has been monitoring the coverage closely and answering media inquiries on the subject of chiropractic safety. ACA is providing a statement to the media on the Katie May story upon request. That statement is available here. (Please note, ACA has not distributed this statement via wire service so as not to generate more visibility of this story. However, it is okay to share the statement with media on an as-needed basis.)

ACA would like state associations to know that it is available to assist with media matters related to the association between chiropractic and cervical arterial dissection (CAD) as well as to provide information that can facilitate doctor-patient discussions on this complex subject.

Dealing with Media Inquiries

If you or your organization is contacted by a member of the media regarding chiropractic and the purported risk of stroke, please know that ACA can help. We respect that some organizations are well equipped to respond to such inquiries, but do encourage you to review the information and resources we have available, including helpful talking points statistics and an infographic regarding the risks associated with neck manipulation compared with other common treatments. You’ll find all of these resources at www.acatoday.org/CAD.

Dealing with Member and Patient Concerns

As a result of media generated by the Katie May story, some patients may come into the offices of doctors of chiropractic concerned about having their necks adjusted. To help DCs talk to patients, ACA offers a web page with information on cervical arterial dissection (CAD) and neck manipulation. Feel free to share a link to this page with your members. The page includes:

 

  • links to research studies demonstrating the safety of chiropractic
  • information on the benefits and risks of neck manipulation compared with other common treatments
  • articles on the association between cervical artery dissection and neck manipulation
  • fact sheets that can be distributed to patients
  • key messages to help doctors touch on important points during their discussions with patients.

You will also find information about chiropractic safety on the patient section of ACA’s website here.  

You'll find all of these resources at www.acatoday.org/CAD.

American Chiropractic Association
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), based in Arlington, Va., is the largest professional association in the United States representing doctors of chiropractic. ACA promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients. Visit us at www.acatoday.org

 The ACA media team is ready to help. Contact:

Amanda Donohue, [email protected], (703) 812­0209
Annette Bernat, [email protected],, (703) 812­0226
Felicity Clancy, [email protected], (703) 8120221

 

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