Spin Doctors: The Chiropractic Industry Under Examination (Paperback)

~ Paul Benedetti (Author), Wayne MacPhail (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This is the book you won't find in your chiropractor's waiting room!

Canadians visit chiropractors about thirty million times a year, and surveys show that patients are generally satisfied with their treatment. But studies also show that as many as two hundred Canadians a year suffer strokes brought on by neck manipulation. Spin Doctors takes a hard, dramatic, and spine-chilling look into the world of chiropractic medicine. You will be surprised to learn what chiropractors treat and why - and how much it costs you as a taxpayer. Most importantly, you'll learn how to protect yourself and your family from dangerous adjustments, practice-building tactics, bogus treatments, and misleading information.

About the Author

Paul Benedetti is an award-winning journalist who, for more than a decade, has written investigative stories about alternative medicine and health fraud. He is now on the faculty at the University of Western Ontario where he teaches journalism.

Wayne MacPhail is an experienced journalist and editor. He has written for print and online about AIDS, alternative medicine and other health, science, and social issues for twenty-five years.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Dundurn Press (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155002406X
• ISBN-13: 978-1550024067
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #977,380 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars An awful read, but at least they know how to "manipulate", February 18, 2003

By	"syncmaster751" - See all my reviews

What caught my eye as a potentially interesting book regarding an "expose" into chiropractic turned out to be nothing more than a witch hunt based on biases and misrepresentation. As I read through the chapters, I started to get an impression that these authors were willing to base gargantuous claims on little or partial pieces of evidence simply to make the book more tantalizing.

Spin Doctors is a written form of Jerry Springer if I have ever seen one, but at least Jerry doesn't come across with the supposition of being credible. While his show doesn't disguise the fact that it is not to be taken seriously, I get the distinct impression that Benedetti and Macphail wrote this book with the express purpose of discrediting a profession. Personally, I did not appreciate their attempts at taking advantage of a reader's trust or trying to make money from unjustly attacking others.

Unless you are interested in seeing true "manipulation" at it's best, I'd stay away from this book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars chiropractic-a culture of intellectual dishonesty, dogma and self-interest, September 12, 2009

By	David Palmer "common sense man" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

I have read many books on chiropractic. This is a solid effort and adds the Canadian perspective. Chiropractic is a culture of intellectual dishonesty, dogma and self-interest. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary chiros cling to the "subluxation" theory of disease. MRIs of the spine completely refute the notion that nerve interference occurs much less causes disease. Chiropractors cannot face the facts because to do so would probably cause them financial ruin and it would be very hard to admit your life's work was based on an absurd, discredited and laughable concept. Chiropractors have survived by legislating and litigating their way into the marketplace. This is because the laws of the US and Canada are business laws and not based on scientific legitimacy. They are also effective marketers who use free exams, patient retention psychology techniques and scare tactics to attract and retain customers. Fortunately only about 7% of the population fall for these ploys and sees a chiroprator in any given year.Virtually anything chiros do has one goal- make more money for themselves. Healthcare reform will exclude chiropractic because cost-effectiveness will be demanded. Even for simple back pain a single visit to a primary care provider and generic analgesics is much less expensive than multiple visits to a chiropractor and the functional outcome is the same.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Concern over Chiropractors, December 13, 2007

By	Kenneth P. Stack "Ken Stack, MS,PT,CSCS" (Raleigh,NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Spin Doctors serves as a nice introduction to the criticisms of the chiropractic profession. The beginning history of chiropractors from the late 1800s is laid out very completely. Within the first two chapters an unscientific profession searching for an indentity is planted with the reader. The origins of chiropractic care can be traced to Canada and throughout the book cases and experiences in the provinces are frequently cited.
Following the historical background major criticism areas with the industry are discussed in a very readible manner: the subluxation theory, stroke occurence and neck manipulation, the gimmicky nature of the profession, and chiropractic care on children.
There is some very slow reading on canadian legislative and political issues related to chiropractics as the book progresses. The reader may not find these portions of the book engaging in presentation or relevant regardless of the their country of origin. The book remains valuable despite these monotonous passages and the reward for completing this publication will be an informed opinion of chiropractors that can be translated into intelligent dialogue with any individual in or out of the health care arena.