Experimental and Investigational
Jeanne Ohm, DC
Around the country, Blue Cross Blue Shield policies
are denying chiropractic care for children under the age
of 12. Labeling chiropractic care for children as "experimental
and investigational," BC/BS is seeking to intimidate parents
into believing that chiropractic care is not safe or effective
for children.
Reality
Doctors of Chiropractic have been adjusting children for
over 100 years. The reported incidence of malpractice with
children is extremely minimal. As one chiropractic insurance
claims adjuster told me, "In fifteen years, I have seen
maybe five cases of malpractice involving children. Most
of them had to do with the child tripping over the adjusting
table or some similar type equipment related injury."
The current attempt by BC/BS to intimidate parent's right
to choose is absurd, considering all of the on-going treatments
their policies cover without question. Listed below are
just a few current scenarios where questionable treatment
protocols for our country’s children were established
by conventional medicine without the sufficient documentation
to substantiate their safety and efficacy. These services
were accepted and covered without a blink and now current,
published research studies are revealing the danger and
ineffectiveness of these "approved" treatments." To add
insult to injury to the consumer, these experimental treatments
are still covered by insurance policies in spite of the
new findings!
If your patients are faced with this apparent dichotomy
in insurance policy coverage, their insurance companies
need to know they are not willing to have their intelligence
insulted and their right to choose denied. Change will
come with consumer demand.
Unquestioned, routine procedures
The following scenarios are just a few examples where
this double standard in health care coverage is revealed…
● Unnecessary flu shots: Last year
there was a huge push for flu shots for infants. There
was no data to substantiate it. Now, a new study, published
in “The Lancet”, found that flu shots don't
really work in children younger than two years of age.
In addition, the scientists said they "recorded no convincing
evidence that vaccines can reduce mortality, hospital admissions,
serious complications and community transmission of influenza" in
young kids.
The interesting point to note here is that without any
scientific data for efficacy, the flu shot was recommended
and paid for. Interesting to note is that the flu shot,
like all vaccines, is considered "preventative medicine" and
frequently chiropractic care is denied because it is preventative
care.
● Leading Drug Company Deceives Parents: It
was bad enough that the toxic substance thimerosal was
ever put into vaccines without even testing its effects,
however what is even worse is when it was finally exposed
that it may be having adverse effects on children, a leading
drug company continued to supply the infant hepatitis B
vaccine, still contaminated with thimerosal, for two years
after announcing that it had eliminated the toxin from
the vaccine.
It was September 1999, in the midst of concerns about
the risks of mercury in childhood vaccines, when Merck
stated that the FDA had approved a preservative-free version
of the vaccine. Despite Merck's news release that stated, "Now,
Merck's infant vaccine line is free of all preservatives," the
company still distributed the vaccine containing thimerosal
until October 2001.
Again, it is interesting to note that in spite of the
known toxicity of thimerosal and its presence in childhood
vaccines, insurance companies continued to cover these
contaminated vaccines without any control standards of
safety for the covered vaccine.
● Ritalin and Cancer Risks: The
rise in the use of Ritalin in this country is frightening.
In an alarming study conducted at the University of Texas,
researchers have discovered that every child they tested
who was taking Ritalin (methylphenidate) developed chromosomal
aberrations that have been associated with an increased
risk of cancer.
The researchers tested 12 children before and three months
after beginning a daily Ritalin prescription for treatment
of ADHD. Every child experienced an increase in genetic
damage that is associated with the development of cancer
after taking the drug. In the words of the authors, "In
every individual examined, there was a statistically significant
increase in every genotoxic endpoint analyzed… for
each of the parameters tested."
While there has been significant criticism and cause for
alarm in prescribing psychotropic drugs to children, rather
than a decrease of use, the amount of children taking these
drugs has escalated in the past few years. With all of
the literature cautioning its use, how can this be? Perhaps
the accessibility of Ritalin and other drugs via "health" insurance
coverage may be contributing to its frightening rise? It
remains to be seen whether the insurance industry will
act on behalf of our children's safety and question their
routine coverage for these experimental and investigational
substances.
Offer Parents Support
It is through public awareness and consumer demand that
double standards are eliminated. The I.C.P.A. and its national
public advertising campaign is reaching the consumer in
numerous ways. To become involved, please visit our site
at: www.icpa4kids.com.
Dr. Jeanne Ohm can be reached via
e-mail at ohmdc@comcast.net ohmdc@comcast.net |