Simon Singh

2010/05/13 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Medikuntza

Until I read the book I was not very aware of the basis of chiropractic or the aggressiveness of the techniques applied. It is said that vertebral subluxations are the origin of the disease and that the treatment, through rapid and dry movements, is forced a little beyond the flexibility proper of the subluxated joints, to bring the subluxations into place and cure the pain. It is usually used to supplement back pain; in more heterodox cases, asthma, ear infections, sleep disturbance, or even colic.

Dislocations and breaks are the most common adverse effects of these manipulations, but when done in the neck, there is a risk of damaging the blood vessels that go to the brain and, at worst, causing death. This may seem like an abuse and a desire to scare, as many medical treatments are dangerous or aggressive. One example could be chemotherapy. But it's not about that. Although the percentage of victims of serious side effects is very low, scientific evidence in favor of chiropractic is so weak that in no case is worth taking the risk.

The book Trick or Treatment systematically analyzes the basis of homeopathy, acupuncture, medicinal plants and chiropractic by Simon Singh and Edzard
Ernst, the last doctor in the area of alternative medicine, their principles, what they claim and the results of research and clinical trials carried out to demonstrate their effectiveness. The conclusions are clear to anyone who wants to see them and it is worth reading the book. In the case of chiropractic, it has also had unexpected consequences for the authors. In fact, the British Chiropractic Association sued one of its authors, Simon Singh, for defaming the association in an article written in The Guardian.

The chilling process began two years ago and ended last month, when the association abandoned it. In the end it has been a sweet victory, although Singh has had to spend 200,000 pounds in defense and devote himself to it for two years. The victory has been sweet because the chiropractic association and its supposed scientific evidence have been revealed along the way, which were cancelled by Edzard Ernst in an article published in the British Medical Journal, as well as the activity, training and publicity of the members of the chiropractic association. The case has had a great impact in Britain and the denunciation has had a boomerang effect that they would not even imagine in the worst nightmare about the performance of chiropraxials. Despite this, the association recommended to its partners the closure of the websites at a given time, without being able to attend to the complaints of the people who have gathered around the case of Singh.

In addition to turning surgeons upside down, it seems that this case will also affect the regulations of the British libel. After a campaign that has gathered 50,000 signatures, the three main parties have committed to modifying it (the main criticisms that are made to the legislation are that it leaves all the weight on the defendant, both of the evidence and the costs that are usually hundreds of thousands of pounds and therefore uses freedom of expression to violate it). Changing this, it will be more difficult to drown in the courts the questions to be clarified and discussed at the bottom of science. Because you dare Singh. Despite the great protection received from the beginning and that sweet is a triumph, salty and serious.

Published in Berria