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Efficacy
& Scientific Scrutiny
Ralph Boone, Ph.D., D.C., has served on the consensus panels of all three Standards of Care Documents which have been developed within the chiropractic profession. He has experience with academics and the institutional accreditation process, having been president of a national professional accrediting agency, site visitor for a regional accrediting agency, and a faculty member at both chiropractic colleges and universities.
He has served as President of an American Chiropractic College and Executive Officer for Academics/Research for the New Zealand School of Chiropractic from 1999 - 2001. He was editor of the peer-reviewed Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research and has authored or co/authored numerous publications.
Dr. Boone has been on several research teams at various academic institutions. In 2000 he visited Seoul, Korea as the Research/Education Director for the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), which is a Non Governmental Organization holding recognition with the U.N. Department of Information (NGO/DPI). During the Seoul International Conference of NGO’s, Dr. Boone presented a discussion session on "The Role of Chiropractic Care in Global Health."
Dr. Boone also serves as Research Director for the Association for Network Care and is a Board member of the Council on Chiropractic Practice. He is also involved with international chiropractic education and other allied healing arts.
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From the Desk of W.R. Boone, Ph.D., D.C. |
Dr. Donald Epstein,
Developer
Network Spinal Analysis |
November 14, 2003 |
| Dear Dr.
Epstein:
Please feel free to use this letter pertaining to the efficacy and scientific scrutiny that surrounds Network Spinal Analysis (NSA). I offer the following comments based on my experience relative to non-chiropractic basic science research and education, chiropractic research, and chiropractic
education.
I have been involved with the evolution of study relative to NSA for approximately 12 years. That time has permitted the accumulation of sufficient data to develop a sophisticated analysis of previous anecdotal reports concerning NSA care. To date, the system of care delivery associated with NSA has been studied from the perspective of its formal documentation, description, retrospective analysis, and longitudinal clinical outcomes. Moreover, its relationship to academic disciplines other than chiropractic has also occurred (notably non-linear systems mathematical analysis, and regression modeling relative to the social sciences). A publication history detailing the findings to date can be supplied. Two other manuscripts deriving information from a population receiving NSA care are in press for publication in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Outcomes from a longitudinal study of NSA care recipients are currently in preparation for publication submission. All articles published have been subjected to the peer-review process to ensure scientific quality and proper evaluation of the findings. As well, a current model of NSA based on these published findings is available.
Currently, the body of scientific information that has accumulated supports earlier reports regarding the efficacy of NSA, as well as its positive health and wellness benefits to those receiving NSA care. Thus, in my opinion, it is appropriate to state that NSA has been and continues to be thoroughly studied in terms of efficacy and benefits to its recipients. Some aspects of the unique "somatopsychic wave" associated with NSA escapes current neurological and physiological explanations relative to mechanism of action. However, this factor alone has been a principle attraction for those representing non-chiropractic disciplines to explore NSA relative to their respective areas of study. The intrinsic nature of the Somatopsychic wave has been shown to demonstrate a unique character. This finding is based on non-linear canonical mathematical analysis of electromyographic data acquired during subjects experiencing the wave. Moreover, the nature of the wave is specific to the level of NSA care being
delivered.
Dr. Epstein is committed to a long-term research program, as should be expected for any technique or methodology. Findings to date reveal that a significant number of individuals, spanning a wide spectrum of locations and life situations, respond essentially the same to the NSA care delivered. These findings are epidemiological in scope crossing both geographical and cultural boundaries. I know of no other chiropractic technique to which this level of scientific inquiry has been undertaken. Furthermore, because of the high level of consistency found across the populations studied, only the most rigorous statistical methods of analysis have been used to assess the
data
Sincerely,
W. Ralph Boone, Ph.D., D.C.
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