Request for review of Chiropractic & Osteopathic Boards of Australia

Friends of Science in Medcine made two submissions to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requesting reviews of the actions of the Chiropractic Board of Australia (CBA) and the Osteopathic Board of Australia (OBA). The reports raised serious questions about the integrity of both the CBA and the OBA.

Consequently, their ability to discharge their statutory obligation to protect the public from inappropriate and unjustifiable behaviour on the part of many of their registrants was also brought into question.

A review of the 360 courses approved by the CBA for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) identified that up to one-third of courses were based on pseudoscience or made exaggerated claims of efficacy.

'Cranial osteopathy' is a belief that there is a 'cranial rhythm' in the cranium, sacrum, cerebrospinal fluid and membranes enveloping the 'craniosacral system'; that they can be detected and measured only by their practitioner’s hands; and that good health requires the 'balance' and 'flow' of this rhythm. FSM identified a number of 'cranial osteopathy' courses for common childhood conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), asthma, allergies, bed-wetting, colic and ear infection, all of which are commonly referred to on osteopathic websites as conditions amenable to cranial manipulation. Other courses identified include obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, visceral osteopathy and osteopathic neurology.

FSM asked AHPRA to investigate the CBA and the OBA and to seriously consider dismissing their current Boards.

Both Victoria University and RMIT osteopathy degrees promote cranial osteopathy.