Important Facts About FCER

THE FOUNDATION FOR CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (FCER) has served the chiropractic profession for over 60 years. FCER’s mission is: To promote the health and well being of humanity by encouraging and supporting research and education relative to the field of chiropractic care, and to provide information needed to document and improve chiropractic healthcare capacity worldwide.

FCER serves the chiropractic profession in two ways: (1) supports research grants, fellowships and residencies in order to increase the profession’s research infrastructure, and (2) publishes and distributes the research outcomes in order to educate the public regarding the benefits of chiropractic. 

Why is this important?

FACT # 1: FCER makes a difference on the federal level.

The Department of Defense mandate, the Veterans Administration legislation, and the installation of outstanding practitioners on Capitol Hill, the Bethesda Naval Center, and Walter Reed Hospital — none of these would have happened without the chiropractic research published in peer-reviewed journals. The lion's share of these research efforts began with projects originally funded by FCER. Also, through its fellowship and residency programs over the past 35 years, FCER is largely responsible for providing today's leaders in the research community. 

FACT # 2: FCER helps prepare the private practitioner. 

The chiropractic physician has a responsibility to understand chiropractic research. He or she must be able to explain the strengths and weaknesses of media reports to insurers, potential collaborators in other health professions, and particularly to the patient. FCER publications, news releases, and articles help provide the ammunition needed to combat negative press and litigation. 

FACT #3: Quality research outcomes help level the playing field.

In today's environment of evidence-based medicine, the recent Medicare legislation, and for any provisions of third-party reimbursement to offer anything near a level playing field of allocations for chiropractic services will depend on the research information that can be generated. These initiatives can only come from the chiropractic community and will require funds to maintain such activities. The data must be able to distinguish chiropractic intervention from that by other manual therapists—such as osteopaths, physical therapists, manual therapists, physiatrists, bonesetters, orthopods, and massage therapists. Clearly, this has a direct impact on being able to identify, preserve, and expand chiropractic practice in the future. This again requires specific input from the chiropractic community.

FACT # 4: Research improves patient care.

In terms of patient care, the only way in which improvement in treatment for all of the health professions is ever going to be realized is through research. Research guides the physician as to the optimum types of interventions and lengths of treatment for specific conditions. These, in turn, need to be better understood in relation to specific types of patients in order to optimize the outcomes for maximum efficiency. The only way in which risks to the patient attributed to the chiropractor may be reduced (other than abandoning treatment altogether) is if research is allowed to flourish and guide the physician in identifying components that may be producing problems.

Simply stated, caring about quality chiropractic research and its implications to your practice just makes good business sense. Your investment in FCER’s research and education programs is an investment in your future.