PTs FORCE POLICE ACTION AGAINST DCs IN BRAZIL The fi ght for chiropractic in Brazil took an ugly turn on the eve- ning of Thursday, June 26 when the federal police, acting upon a complaint from physiotherapy (PT) leaders, challenged visit- ing doctors of chiropractic from the Palmer Colleges Clinics Abroad for being engaged illegally in the practice of physio- therapy. The Palmer team was in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, in the south of Brazil, accompanied by members of the Brazilian Chi- ropractors’ Association (ABQ), and was interrupted as mem- bers were giving humanitarian chiropractic services to patients in a public school in a poor local community. “The police say they acted because of persistent calls that day from the president and lawyer for the local branch of the COFFITO (the regulatory body for PT),“ says ABQ President Dr. Juliana Piva of Rio de Janeiro. “The police arrived with media reporters organized by the COFFITO, and that evening there were print and internet stories about the raid.” Protesting, patients were taken from adjusting tables, and then Palmer and Brazilian DCs and students were escorted to the police station. However, after intervention by ABQ lawyer Antonio Castagna Maia, a full explanation and a visa check showing all was in order, the federal police were satisfied and released the group. “We have had many Clinic Abroad trips in recent years as part of Palmer’s partnership with both the ABQ and the School of Chiropractic at Feevale University, but never a problem until now”, reports Palmer Program Leader Lori Curry. The reason for diffi culty now has to do with the fact that, in Brazil, the physiotherapy profession is in the process of an increasingly aggressive campaign to have chiropractic declared a specialty of physiotherapy by law in Brazil. “It is a response to recent litigation against PT leaders pro- moted by us to protect the independent status of chiropractic,” adds ABQ Past President and Palmer graduate, Dr. Ricardo Fuji- kawa. “The real battle has now begun.” The drafted chiropractic law promoted by the ABQ has passed all committee hearings, and is awaiting a final vote be- fore the Camara, or legislature. Meanwhile, some PT leaders have been providing and supporting short – 300 hours – tech- nique courses, for PTs, and graduating these PTs with a certifi- cate in chiropractic. The goal is rapid creation of a chiropractic specialty in Brazil. The Brazilian lawyer and consultants retained by the ABQ have persuaded prosecutors at the Ministerio Publico, a government watchdog agency for issues of public interest and safety, to take legal proceedings against the PT leaders, who are promoting the inadequate postgraduate chiroprac- tic courses for PTs, on grounds of misrepresentation and threats to public safety – these proceedings were launched last month. www.canadianchiropractor.ca CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | JULY/AUGUST 2008 • 29 news
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor July-Aug 08: Page 29
