Chirotalk-The Skeptical Chiropractic Discussion Forum is an online discussion forum for the critical investigation of chiropractic topics. It was founded in March of 2004 by a former chiropractor named Allen Botnick who had been banned from several other chiropractic and physical therapy discussion groups after posting comments critical of quackery and fraudulent practices in the chiropractic field. Dr. Botnick allegedly surrendered his chiropractic licenses after concluding that his education had not prepared him to practice safely after he discovered that his chiropractic program, Life University in Marietta, Georgia, had defrauded students with false advertising <ref name="ADS">Barrett, Stephen. Improper Claims on Chiropractic College Web Sites. May 21, 2004.</ref> and failed to teach the required coursework for performing the differential diagnosis of patient complaints.<ref name="USDOE">Barth, John W. Letter to Council on Chiropracic Education Executive Vice President Dr. Martha S. O'Connor. June 9, 2004.</ref>
<ref name="LifeUniversity1">Botnick, Allen J. Official accreditation complaint against Life University. February 19, 2003.</ref> Probably the more accurate reason for being disgruntled is the fact that students who borrow money of their own accord at some point have to take responsibility for their own actions. While no one forced the students to take out the maximum amounts of loan money each and every quarter for up to 15 quarters (semesters), they repeatedly signed on the dotted line and cheerfully took the DOE's loan money to attend an accredited college. Often times when the college partying is over, and the loans come due, they then realize that it takes hard work in any field, and they cannot pay their loans back. Then comes the crying.

Dr. Botnick created Chirotalk at the suggestion of a Canadian physical therapist who felt a new discussion forum oriented towards this topic was needed. He is joined by many many of the same types of "not my fault" ex DC's with no one to blame but themselves, and others who would take financial gain at the demise of the chiropractic profession. The attitude there is one of "not welcome if you're not bashing chiropractic". It's really just a site to complain about the fact that they have defaulted on student loans and share their experiences on how to con their way out of ever paying the taxpayers back. Although the money the government let them borrow was voluntary, and done by adults, they knew that no matter what, they would be responsible to their fellow ciitizens to make good on their promises, it doesn't seem to matter to this group of whining finger pointers.

A commonly heard ad hominem attack from critics of Dr. Botnick is that he should be discredited because he is a "nonpracticing failed ex-chiropractor". Dr. Botnick has responded that the core issue at hand is the persistent refusal of chiropractic institutions to act ethically and highlights the fact that at least two surveys indicate that as high as 50% of graduating chiropractors quit the field within five years-many because of the financial problems arising from decreasing utilization by consumers and managed care.<ref name="Tindle HA">Tindle HA. (2005) Trends in use of complementary and alternative medicine by US adults: 1997-2002 Altern Ther Health Med 11:42-9 [1495]</ref>

The board is moderated by a group of volunteer chiropractors and physical therapists who adhere to a high standard of discourse that includes: requiring that participants show due respect to others, providing support for any claims made and abstaining from the use of logical fallacies. And yet the board consists of many insensitive comments and topics such as:

In Memoriam to Chiropractic Suicides and Deaths
This board is for reflecting on those DCs who have committed suicide and the sad waste of life
and career that results from the perpetuation of chiropractic propaganda.

Members include a wide variety of users including: former chiropractors, practicing chiropractors, chiropractic students, physical therapists, medical physicians, lawyers, chiropractic assistants and patients.

References

<references/>