A Pennsylvania chiropractor lost his appeal after the State Chiropractic Board suspended his license for three years and imposed a $10,000 fine. According to The Patriot-News, the chiropractor’s license was suspended over a misleading advertisement in which he promoted a “galvanic skin measurement” device. Allegedly, the chiropractor placed the ad in a newspaper specifically targeting the Amish, Anabaptist and Mennonite communities.
The product that the chiropractor promoted featured a device known as Asyra, which is not currently approved by the state’s chiropractic board. Further, the chiropractor represented himself as a licensed practitioner who was publicizing the benefits of Asyra and its capability of testing a patient’s body for more than 7,000 medical issues. The ad also included a patient providing a testimonial of how supplements that given to her as a result of the device’s medical tests reduced the size of a tumor.
Upon receiving a complaint about the ad, the chiropractic board conducted an investigation and determined that the chiropractor engaged in unprofessional conduct. The use of Asyra is not approved by Pennsylvania’s chiropractic board. The board also concluded that the ad was misleading because it promoted diagnosing medical conditions, which is outside the scope of a practicing chiropractor.
In his defense, the chiropractor maintained that he used the device only in promoting nutritional counseling services. He further asserted that the board had no proof he used the device as part of his services for treating chiropractic issues. The board, however, determined that nutritional counseling falls within the scope and practice of the chiropractic profession. The Center for Nutrition Advocacy provides more information on the inclusion of nutrition care for licensed chiropractors.