Stephen Mogatas DC – Investigation & Review of Misleading and Unsubstantiated Claims about the Efficacy of Treatment
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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.
Stephen Mogatas DC
***All of the website content discussed herein was live as of December 27, 2019.***
Dr. Mogatas' website includes several statement that do not meet the threshold of the Board’s Policy including:
"Dr. Mogatas is a certified Master’s Active Release Techniques (ART) and Graston Technique provider. He combines his passion for sports science and manual therapy, to provide evidence-based treatment for his patients."
The research on ART or Graston does not meet the requirements of the College's Efficacy Claims Policy or Appendix "N".
Making matters worse he outright claims they are "evidence based" even though such claims violates the Board's Policy.
Dr. Mogotas defines chiropractic on his website as follows:
"Chiropractic is a safe, hands-on approach to disorders related to the nerves, muscles and joints of the body. Chiropractors are primary health doctors that provide an accurate diagnosis and evidence-based treatment of these disorders. Personalized treatment plans are created for each patient after careful examination and consideration of their needs. The primary goal for chiropractic care is to increase function, reduce pain, and improve overall health."
The claim that he provides evidence based treatment for "these disorders" is deceptively broad and designed to deceive unsuspecting members of the public. Which disorders is he treating? Are there Randomized Controlled Trials for all the conditions he is claiming to treat?
Mogotas biggest violation of the Board's Policy is:
"The primary goal for chiropractic care is to increase function, reduce pain, and improve overall health."
Mogotas claim that chiropractic "improves overall health" is a direct violation of the Efficacy Claims Policy and Appendix N.
We would like to see the Randomized Double Blind Controlled Clinical Trials that Mogotas is relying on to make such a claim. They do not exist.
Then Mogotas branches out beyond chiropractic to make claims about Acupuncture that are in direct violation of the Efficacy Claims Policy:
"Acupuncture treats a wide variety of disorders including stress, sleeping disturbances such as insomnia, allergy elimination using the NAET technique, digestive issues, flu & colds prevention, womens disorders including PMS and menopause, and chronic fatigue. Incorporating her Kinesiology background, Debbie effectively treats and provides rehabilitation techniques on any pain issues including sciatica, shoulders, neck and back pain, headaches and migraines, to name a few."
Lastly Mogotas claims that the physiotherapy being performed at his clinic help with acute and chronic injuries. Where are the RCT's showing that KinesioTaping and Bioflex Cold Laser Therapy do what he says they do?
"Chiropractic care is supported by exercises that focus on stability, strength, and pain-free movement. We customize our physical rehabilitation programs to meet each patient’s ability and personal goals, combined with the use of manual therapy including Active Release Techniques (ART®) and Graston Technique®. We also offer certified KinesioTaping and Bioflex Cold Laser Therapy for acute injuries and chronic pain."
In instance after instance the very people who are adopting these draconian policies directed at chiropractors who manage vertebral subluxation in a vitalistic, salutogenic manner are advertising and making claims about procedures that have less evidence. Yet they get away with it because they are on the Board and chiropractors are afraid to file complaints about them otherwise they may become the next victim of the Board regulating them.
We look forward to Dr. Mogotas providing all the evidence he has to support his claims and that also meet the standards of the Board’s Efficacy Claims Policy.
CLICK HERE for more on the BC College
See below for the investigations of other Board Members
CLICK HERE for screenshots of the Board members' Websites
