ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Board of Directors of the International Chiropractors Association, on behalf of the entire membership, wishes to thank the members and consultants of the ICA Committee on Chiropractic Practice Guidelines and Protocols for their historic efforts in the development of this document. The Committee that oversaw this process included the following: Gary Walsemann, DC, FICA (Hon), Chairperson Brian Burns, DC, FICA (Hon) Francis L. Corbin, DC, FICA (Hon) Joan M. Fallon, DC, FICA (Hon), FICCP Hugo V. Gibson, DC, FICA (Hon) Sam Haley, DC, FICA (Hon) James D. Harrison, Esq. Mr. Ronald M. Hendrickson Christopher Kent, DC, FICA (Hon), FCCI Michael Petrie, DC, FICA (Hon) Henry Rubenstein, DC The Committee would also like to express its thanks to Dr. Sid E. Williams for his input and critical review of this document throughout various stages of its development. ICA CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES RELEASED The long awaited chiropractic practice guidelines from the International Chiropractors Association were released today, marking the beginning of an international distribution effort that will place this historic document into the hands of tens of thousands of chiropractic practitioners, educators, health care policy makers, news agencies and third-party payment organizations. ICA’s Recommended Clinical Protocols and Guidelines for the Practice of Chiropractic is published in an easy to read soft-bound edition and will shortly be released on CD-ROM. A copy of this first printing will be sent free-of-charge to every ICA member and the full published text is available ICA’s website. The new practice protocols offer a detailed and comprehensive narrative that seeks to explain and validate chiropractic procedures, with a focus on the subluxation and its neurological implications. The unique aspects of the specific chiropractic adjustment are dealt with in great detail in an effort to define, clarify and validate this uniquely chiropractic procedure. This historic undertaking has produced a strong, defensible, practical advocacy document that marshals and arrays a well-researched, accurately referenced and substantive explanation for chiropractic procedures from the ICA perspective. "I do not believe that a more complete, accurate and well-defined practice protocols document has ever been produced for the chiropractic profession," stated ICA’s President Dr. Robert J. Hoffman. This exciting new guidelines document was nearly three years in the making and involved input from hundreds of practicing DCs, educators, attorneys and members of the public, including a one-year comment period during which the draft guidelines were available on the Internet. No other guidelines document has been the subject of such open and far-reaching opportunity for review and comment. Word of the availability of the new guidelines has prompted hundreds of inquiries and requests for copies and offers of support and assistance in the distribution process. For more information or for bulk orders, call ICA at 1-800-423-4690. ICA invites comments of any length, in written form, submitted by mail, fax or e-mail. Please address such comments to: By Mail: Dr. Gary Walsemann; Guidelines Chairman International Chiropractors Association 1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 1000 Arlington, VA 22210 By Fax: 703-528-5023  ATTENTION: Dr. Gary Walsemann By E-Mail: chiro@chiropractic.org, Dr. Walsemann GENERAL DISCLAIMER These protocols and guidelines for the practice of chiropractic are intended to be flexible and the subject of ongoing review and periodic revision according to sound professional development and quality assurance procedures. They are not standards of care and compliance to guideline recommendations is voluntary. The ICA recognizes that alternative practices and approaches are possible and may be preferable under certain clinical conditions. Nothing in these guidelines shall be taken as a legal or absolute clinical measure against which the behavior, activities or performance of any individual practitioner in any specific case should be held. The ultimate judgement regarding the propriety of any specific procedure or clinical decision must be made by the attending doctor in light of the individual circumstances presented by each patient. It is not the purpose of this document, which is advisory in nature, to take precedence over any federal, state or local statute, rule regulation or ordinance which may affect chiropractic practice, or over a rating or determination previously made by judicial or administrative proceeding