Chiropractic Medicine Bill Introduced in New Mexico

Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - 21:53 Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation

Bill Changes Name of Profession, Adds Controlled Substances to Scope

The medical contingent of the chiropractic profession in New Mexico has succeeded in getting Senator Cisco McSorley to introduce a broad and dramatic bill introduced in the New Mexico Legislature that would fundamentally change the practice of chiropractic in the state. Click Here to Read Bill

Building on the already successful efforts to tier the chiropractic profession and add drugs to the scope in the State, Senate Bill 471 states that it provides for a Certified Advanced Practice Chiropractic Physician to prescribe and administer dangerous drugs and to perform certain other procedures while defining “Chiropractic Medicine.” Several sections of the practice act would also be amended for purposes of the law.

Of serious concern is the removal of the prohibition on surgical interventions and the addition of narcotics, opiates, depressants and stimulants to the scope of practice of the so called “Advanced” chiropractors.

Senate Bill 471 would also provide for “Advanced” chiropractors to obtain a “prescription certificate” that would allow them to prescribe, administer and dispense legend drugs or controlled substances included in Schedules III through V of the Controlled Substances Act. These include narcotics, opiates, depressants, stimulants and other dangerous and addictive drugs.

In order to receive a “prescription certificate” the “Advanced” chiropractor would need to complete a program in primary care clinical rotation from an institution of higher education or a professional school that is accredited by an agency accredited by the United States Department of Education.

The Bill has been sent to the Public Affairs Committee & Senate Judiciary Committee where it could be voted on as early as this week. Click Here for More Information on the status of the Bill.

Chiropractors in New Mexico have been leading the charge to change the nature of the chiropractic profession, develop tiering and add drugs and other dangerous procedures to the scope. There are reportedly efforts in at least 19 other states to expand the scope as has been accomplished in New Mexico. The Colorado Board of Chiropractic recently abandoned their most recent effort to add drugs to the scope after being rebuked by the Colorado Attorney General, being sued by 13 medical societies and its repeal by the Colorado Committee on Legal Services.

At the same time, the Council on Chiropractic Education under a storm of controversy recently altered the preface to its Standards to ostensibly allow for the prescribing of drugs within a chiropractic context. The phrase "without unnecessary drugs and surgery" were added following a meeting with select College Presidents, ICA, COCSA and the FCLB where each of them signed a Consensus Document containing the controversial wording.

The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation urges all chiropractors, especially those in New Mexico, to contact the members of the Public Affairs Committee and let them know that this Bill represents a danger to public health and is not supported by the majority of the chiropractic profession.
New Mexico Senate Public Affairs Committee: