Hafeez Merani DC - Investigation & Review of Misleading and Unsubstantiated Claims about the Efficacy of Treatment
We recently reported on the chaos caused by the British Columbia College of Chiropractors adoption of an “acceptable evidence” policy and their actions in going after chiropractors who they deem have violated it and threatening to do more of the same.
After reviewing the Policy and the standards of conduct for chiropractors in British Columbia we undertook a review of the websites of the members of the Board of the College of Chiropractors to see if their own websites would meet their Policy.
We found violations of their own Policy and we report on those violations found.
Hafeez Merani DC
Hafeez Merani DC is a new graduate of Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) having been licensed in 2012. But don’t let his inexperience fool you in regards to his ability to serve on the Board and sit in judgement of other chiropractors.
CLICK HERE to review his website
***All of the website content discussed herein was live as of October 15, 2018***
Surely because of his youth and recent graduation he must be up on all the latest research coming out of CMCC.
In fact, right on his Home Page so it’s the first thing anyone sees when they go it he claims that he can “Maximize your health and well being”
Maximize it!
Who wouldn’t want their health maximized? We’re certain that such a knowledgeable Board member wouldn’t make a claim he couldn’t substantiate through high level research that has been replicated multiple times by independent scientists. We’re sure that Dr. Merani has his own data that he can share with the public regarding how he has maximized the health and well being of the patients he has cared for over the past 4 years. We’re sure he has subjected it to peer review and critical evaluation.
He must have learned his special techniques from fellow Board member Anderson because similar to him Merani claims to have special powers. Under the section of his website where he is soliciting accident victims he and his team:
“ . . .look forward to accelerating the healing process after an accident.”
Accelerating the healing process?
Maybe Merani was with Ponce De’Leon when he discovered the Fountain of Youth and has brought back from the future a unique gift of being able to “accelerate” healing. Maybe Merani is in possession of some unique healing ability that no other chiropractors in Canada possess.
Don’t worry – We’re sure Merani will provide all of the scientific research he has amassed that show he is not misleading the public and making unsubstantiated claims.
But Merani isn’t done making unsubstantiated claims.
Under the heading of Chiropractic on his public facing website he claims to treat a whole host of disease and conditions.
The Chiropractors at Metrotown Chiropractic are trained health care professionals who use a variety of non-surgical treatments, such as spinal manipulation, mobilization, exercise prescription, and other modalities to treat patients with:
- Low Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Repetitive Strains
- Headaches
- Sports Injuries
- Car Accident Injuries
- Arthritic Pain
- Muscle Strains
- Ligament Sprains
First we have to wonder what he is referring to by “other modalities”. Is the unsuspecting public to guess what he is going to do to them? Is he referring to passive physical therapy modalities that foster patient dependence and have not been shown to be effective?
What about headaches. Surely there are multiple RCT studies replicated by independent researchers that show chiropractic adjustments cure people of headaches. What type of headaches you ask? Well, we are sure that Merani can cure all of them since he didn’t specify.
How about that arthritic pain? Car accident injuries? Does Merani mend broken bones? Or are his “car accident” treatments limited to what has been shown to respond to chiropractic care at the level of research he requires of his fellow practitioners?
But wait – Merani isn’t done impressing us with his unique skills while also claiming there isn’t much difference between what he does and what a medical doctor does. His website states:
“The patient usually perceives very little difference when comparing an initial chiropractic consultation to a medical consultation.”
Those poor medical doctors that wasted all their years in medical school could have just become chiropractors in half the time since it’s all the same.
Merani claims to “Improve Functionality” of patients. Even better - for anyone blessed enough to seek him out he states he can return them to “Optimal Health and Functionality”
Optimal health!
What human being wouldn’t want optimal health and here is the guy that can do it! And since the College requires all chiropractors to be held to the strictest of standards when making claims about the benefits of chiropractic we are sure he has the evidence required by his Board to prove he can do it.
In another section of his website Merani claims he is a specialist in treating a whole host of other diseases not already claimed elsewhere on his site.
Our practitioners specialize in pain relief and musculoskeletal rehabilitation for the following common conditions:
- Neck Pain
- Low Back Pain
- Sciatica
- Disc Herniation
- Headache/Migraines
- Whiplash
- Tendinopathy (Tennis Elbow and Achilles)
- Postural Injuries
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Sports Injuries
- Pre, Peri, and Post Natal Care of Muscles and Joints
One wonders if Merani studied under his fellow Board member Dr. Anderson and learned the secret of curing spinal stenosis from him?
Here he is more specific in the kinds of headaches he can cure – Migraines. We would love to see that research and if it lives up to the standard of the Policy.
Pre, Peri, and Post Natal Care? Is Merani a pediatrician? An obstetrician? Can chiropractors in British Columbia practice obstetrics? Is there high level evidence for this that we are not aware of?
Merani must like lists of things he can cure because he throws in another one – this was perhaps our favorite because he references it as coming from the College of Chiropractors – his own Board:
Good habits and common sense lead to good back health. Follow these ten suggestions and you might never experience back problems:
- Maintain good posture
- Stretch before and after sports
- Don’t overload your backpack or shoulder bag
- Stretch your legs and back after an hour of sitting
- Never cradle the phone between your neck and shoulder
- Sleep on your back or side, not stomach
- Invest in a good chair, pillow, and mattress: It’s worth it!
- Exercise regularly
- Follow a healthy diet
- Have regular check ups by your Family Physician and Chiropractor
Imagine that – just do these things he recommends and you might not ever have to see him!
And we are certain that the College of Chiropractors, who he claims to have endorsed these “habits” that will lead to “good back health”, have all been subjected to rigorous double blind studies by independent researchers.
Right? Right.
We look forward to Dr. Merani providing all the evidence he has to support his claims and that also meet the standards of the Board’s Efficacy Claims Policy.
See below for the investigations of other Board Members
CLICK HERE for screenshots of the Board members' Websites
CLICK HERE to review the original story
Bethany Lindsay also recently reported on it for CBC News CLICK HERE for her story
