Subluxation is a Scare Tactic Says Jeff Williams DC - Meanwhile, is he Violating Texas Laws & Rules?
In a series of podcast rants Jeffrey Williams DC, FIANM, DABFP who advertises as a "Chiropractic Orthopedist" and Medical Clinic in Amarillo, Texas disparages his fellow chiropractors who choose to practice in a subluxation, vitalistic model.
Williams, who is the Scientific Affairs Coordinator for the Texas Chiropractic Association (TCA) and a member of the anti-subluxation hate group Forward Thinking Chiropractic Alliance (FTCA) runs what he describes as a medical practice in Amarillo, Texas offering everything from teeth whitening to primary care with hormone balancing, IV rejuvenation and plasma rich protein injections. He also practices acupuncture, physcial therapy and has a complete spa that includes: "Gentlemen's Services".
Nowhere to be found on his website for Creek Stone Medical is the name of the Medical Doctor serving as the Medical Director providing or overseeing all these medical interventions. Though he does have the name of a FNP who he lists as his "Medical Provider".
According to corporate records filed with the State of Texas for Creek Stone, Williams is the owner and Director. Michael Flores MD is listed as the Medical Director but the address given for Flores: 212 Banks in Amarillo is a residence - not a clinic. And Flores is not listed anywhere on Williams website. One of the tactics sometimes used to skirt these MD/DC clinic issues is to hire a nurse to be on premises and then pay an MD to act as the Medical Director even though they are never on site and just sign off on what the nurses do via standing orders.
In addition to treating everything from teeth to Brazilian waxing at his medical clinic, Williams spends a great deal of time podcasting and disparaging chiropractors who actually practice within their scope in Texas.
His attacks are geared towards chiropractors who practice in a subluxation model along with those who embrace the concept that the body is self healing and self regulating based on vitalistic concepts.
He openly admits he is "Really down on vitalists" because "I see vitalists and they're just saying kooky stuff and I'm physically and mentally absolutely unable to let it go or ignore it. And I have a big mouth".
A big mouth indeed.
Worried that his ". . . head might explode just a little bit" Williams accuses these conservative, traditional chiropractors of using "scare tactics" to get patients:
"If you ever hear a vitalist claim they do not use scare tactics to take advantage of their patients, they’re simply not being honest. In essence, that’s exactly what the subluxation theory is in the first place. It’s a scare tactic. The silent killer, right? You’ll get sick, you’ll be unhealthy. You’ll develop degeneration. Not because of the consequences of normal freaking aging but because you had all those subluxations all up in ya."
And while Williams professes on his website, YouTube channel and his podcast that he is smarter than those he disparages, he utters some basic untruths about how the body works:
"Come on man. Spinal degeneration is a normal part of aging. You quit building bone and then you start to regress over the years. This is natural."
He seems to have missed the lecture on focal anatomical and degenerative changes occurring as a result of faulty spinal biomechanics that lead to early degeneration secondary to vertebral subluxation - a basic lesson every chiropractor learns early on in their education.
According to Williams, traditional chiropractors are "built on selfishness, low-character, deceitfulness" and will do "anything to get ahead".
Their patients, according to Williams, only ". . . come in because you scared them and then you scare them into treating every other week for the next year with upfront payment, blah blah blah. How do these types of practitioners live with themselves?"
Williams refers to principled chiropractors as hypocrites stating its "about as low as it gets for me. All of these practitioners have big houses. No doubt".
Williams and other Subluxation Deniers like him proclaim they embrace "Evidence Based Practice" and they assert that managing vertebral subluxation and especially doing so with an understanding of vitalism and self healing, cannot by definition be evidence based.
"I happen to think that evidence-informed docs are the principled ones. A principled, ethical person doesn’t carry themselves in that manner and the philosophy folks are much more likely to be out there closing patients than offering responsible treatment plans that are based on commonly accepted guidelines. Makes me want to principle them in the forehead…..with a mighty slap."
"Vitalists" he claims "refuse to conform to any appearances of being evidence-based."
And while he doesn't think very much of the ethics employed by traditional chiropractors he does think very highly of himself:
"I’m going to tell you that, as a doctor that considers himself very much on the research end of things and very little on the philosophy end of it, and as a doctor that does everything he can to be ethical, honest, and all that…..it is so hard to sit and hear patients talking to me about being forced to sign of on a contract for thousands of dollars for a year long schedule for umpteen visits based on a curve correction that research suggests isn’t that big of a deal."
And he really doesn't want to hear anyone talking "about fixing kids with no research to back their claims" and laments how "hard it is to hear about chiropractors scaring the crap out of patients with x-rays."
Patients he says ". . . come to you for your help. Not to buy you a big house. Not to be lied to. Not to have false, fake, or outdated ideas shoved up their poop shoot and to be taken advantage of".
Williams claims "Vitalists refuse to follow or even notice solid research that doesn’t confirm their bias. Outright refuse. They insist it’s appropriate to see regular healthy people once per week for life. Evidence says that’s not appropriate"
Do His Website Statements Violate Texas Law & Rules?
Given all the rock throwing and spewing of hate directed at traditional chiropractors over what he claims are unethical, unscientific and non-evidence based things that he contends happen all the time - trust him on that - you'd think he would make sure he's not living in a glass house.
CLICK HERE to go to his website
CLICK HERE for screenshots in case he takes it down
Texas law considers "engaging in deception or fraud in the practice of chiropractic" to be grounds for revocation or suspension of your license.
According to Williams' website
"Dr. Williams is the only Chiropractic Orthopedist in Texas west of the I-35 corridor and one of only 19 in a state with over 5,300 licensed chiropractors"
Sound like professional superiority? If he says that's not the case then what's the point of making this statement?
One of his YouTube videos clearly states he is the "Best chiropractor in Amarillo"
And . . .
"He has built a team at Creek Stone that are uniquely educated to offer you the best chance, with your help, at dramatically improving chronic pain."
"Uniquely educated"? Perhaps he can verify that he has what no one else in Texas has. But the law does say it needs to be "readily subject to verification".
Texas law also states that "failing to clearly differentiate a chiropractic office or clinic from another business or enterprise" is a violation. Remember, this guy is doing everything from chiropractic (well, spinal manipulation anyway) and physical therapy to primary care to dentistry and Brazilian waxing - all under one roof and business. From all appearances the public is led to believe all this is happening under his supervision alone.
Sec. 201.5025 in Texas under PROHIBITED PRACTICES BY CHIROPRACTOR OR LICENSE APPLICANT. states: A chiropractor or an applicant for a license to practice chiropractic commits a prohibited practice if that person: commits unprofessional or dishonorable conduct that is likely to deceive or defraud the public.
Then there is RULE §77.4
Misleading Claims
(a) A person advertising chiropractic services shall not use false, deceptive, unfair, or misleading advertising, including:
- claims intended or reasonably likely to embellish or create a false expectation of the favorable results from chiropractic treatment;
- claims intended or reasonably likely to create a false expectation of the cost of treatment or the amount of treatment to be provided;
- claims reasonably likely to deceive or mislead because the claims in context represent only a partial disclosure of the conditions and facts of the extent of treatment the licensee expects to provide;
- claims that state or imply chiropractic services can cure any condition;
- claims that chiropractic services cure or lessen the effects of ailments, injuries, or other disorders of the human body which are outside the scope of chiropractic practice;
- claims that state or imply the results of chiropractic services are guaranteed;
- claims that chiropractic services offer results that are not within the realm of scientific proof beyond testimonial statements or manufacturer's claims; or
- claims intended or reasonably likely to create a false expectation of the adverse consequences of not receiving chiropractic treatment.
CLICK HERE for screenshots in case he takes it down
Williams, who loves to talk about research, has quite a few claims on his website and YouTube channel that appear to violate this Texas Board Rule along with Rule 77.4:
(b) In any public communication or advertising, if a licensee makes a claim based on a research study, the licensee shall:
- clearly identify the research study; and
- provide the source of the research study to the Board or the public upon request.
Here's just a few items from his website that appear to violate that Rule:
"After years of pouring over the research, it is abundantly clear. Chiropractic is absolutely evidence-based and the treatment of choice in regards to effectiveness, patient satisfaction, and research also shows that chiropractic is less expensive than traditional medical care."
Williams does not identify the research to support those claims.
Here's another:
"Exercise, the research suggests, is ALSO highly effective in the recovery from musculoskeletal conditions. What is certain, is that neither treatment alone that is as effective as the two combined. It’s a powerful combo and physical rehabilitation is covered under most insurance plans when prescribed by the chiropractor"
No research is identified for those claims either.
On his YouTube channel's Decompression video he makes the claim that Non Surgical Decompression is:
"The TREATMENT OF CHOICE for a bulging or herniated disc". And without identifying the research as Texas Rules require the video claims:
"Research has shown that it has the ability to reduce the size of a disc bulging or herniation" adding "that is huge!".
The video claims he has a "High Success Rate" Perhaps he will share all his data to back up that claim.
CLICK HERE to review the video
And of course he claims that the Platelet-Rich Plasma-PRP injections he performs in Amarillo - "shows impressive results."
Perhaps he would care to share those data on his results with the Texas Board. After all, Williams would not make claims he could not back up - right?. Right.
He also offers a guarantee for headache sufferers:
"Our chiropractic care can treat your headaches, no matter what kind, and help reduce their intensity and frequency."
And what about those ADVANCED teeth whitening treatments:
"With Creek Stone’s Advanced Teeth Whitening, you can expect an average of up to 6-8 shades whiter and brighter! With only one visit to our office."
Advanced? "Only one visit"?
And no chiropractic clinic would be complete without offering acupuncture face lifts. Williams claims that "this treatment can literally erase years".
Just erases them?
Making matters worse for Williams is this portion of the Texas RULE §77.3 Proper Use of "D.C." or Similar Terms and Restrictions.
(f) A licensee may not state in any public communication or advertising that the licensee is "Board Certified" by the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
A pretty clear violation of the Rule.
Williams also brags about being a "Chiropractic Orthopedist" and an "Orthopedic Specialist".
Readers may recall that The Texas Board of Chiropractic and the Texas Chiropractic Association (TCA) have been embroiled in a decades long war with the Texas Medical Board over the use of such terms. So Williams may be in violation of the Texas Medical Practice Act in addition to chiropractic act which does not include the use of terms such as "Chiropractic Orthopedist".
Recently, the Texas Chiropractic Board issued a warning alert about the use of the term "Physical Therapy" by chiropractors. There are several instances of the use of "Physical Therapy" on William's sites, including his YouTube channel.
So with all these questionable claims and other potential violations of the Texas law and rules, how is it that the "Scientific Affairs Coordinator" for the Texas Chiropractic Association gets away with it? Could it be the cozy relaitonship he has with the TCA and the cozy relationship the TCA has with the Board? Is he being protected because he is one of them?
Of the six (6) chiropractors on the TBCE four (4) of them are dues paying members of either the TCA and the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) or the TCA alone. The TCA is an ACA affiliated organization.
In alignment with William's views, the TBCE, TCA and ACA have been engaged in an active legislative agenda to expand the scope of chiropractic in the state of Texas for many years. The ACA is well known for its support and active participation in scope expansion efforts across the United States, including in Medicare. They want Medicare to pay for anything that's in the state scope.
According to records obtained from a Freedom of Information Act request the Texas Board President, Mark Bronson, D.C., has expressed his disdain for chiropractors who practice in a subluxation only model stating:
"Regarding subluxation, I never understood what it meant to 'correct' it, so I don't propose to".
Those same records also reveal his disdain for the use of x-rays in managing outcomes related to care for vertebral subluxation stating:
"From a regulation standpoint, we have to consider benefit versus risk, and times are changing such that repeating x-rays to see correction is not considered appropriate."
This is of course the position of the American Chiropractic Association as well.
Hopefully the Texas Board is not engaging in a game of "rules for thee but not for me"
