[Fwd: ICA LEADERSHIP ISSUES STATEMENT ON MERGER ISSUE]

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FYI:

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ICA LEADERSHIP ISSUES STATEMENT ON MERGER ISSUE

Date:

Fri, 11 May 2007 19:32:47 -0400

From:

ICA News <ICANews@...>

twogems@...

ICA LEADERSHIP

ISSUES STATEMENT

ON MERGER

ISSUE

The International Chiropractors

Association’s Board of Directors and Representative Assembly met on

April 27-28, 2007 in Washington,

DC for their scheduled 81st

Annual Meeting. During those meetings, very

careful consideration was given to all aspects of the demand issued by

the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations (COCSA) for the merger

of the ICA

with the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Following

these discussions, the combined ICA leadership unanimously adopted an

official statement on this issue. That

statement reads as follows:

“The International

Chiropractors Association has always stood ready to work with any

chiropractic association or group for the common good of the

chiropractic profession, the principles we stand for, and the patients

we serve. We have repeatedly extended our hand

in the spirit of cooperation in an effort to gain a unified voice in

those areas where such a voice is useful and favorable.

Our participation in the Chiropractic Coalition, an organization

in which all national associations were asked to participate,

demonstrates our willingness to continue these efforts.

Historically, there have

been four attempts to force a merger of the ICA with another national

chiropractic association. Each of these

attempts resulted in defeat of the proposal, and a decline in

membership for both associations involved. In

all these attempts, an organizational merger was attempted without a

basic understanding of the very uniqueness that necessitates the

various organizations. The ICA has no desire at present to

repeat these historical failures by pursuing the same course.

There are basic

chiropractic philosophical tenets that ICA holds supreme, and are not

subject to compromise. It is the separate and

clear voice of the ICA

that has created a system of checks and balances in our profession. Over the past several decades it has been painfully

obvious that this separate voice has prevented the profession from

drifting in a direction that ICA views as clearly in violation of our

philosophical tenants, as well as detrimental to our profession and the

unique contribution we offer the public.

Although we view the

‘demand’ from one organization upon another to be a curious course of

action, we can appreciate the desire to further the profession of

chiropractic. ICA shares these desires but does not

agree on the course of action being proposed. ICA continues to

pledge cooperative effort in those areas where a common voice can speak

on issues. However, on those issues where a

separate voice is needed, ICA

will continue to express that voice.”

“ICA has

communicated with the President of the American Chiropractic

Association reiterating ICA’s

willingness to cooperate on issues of common concern, for the greater

good of the profession, especially in the realm of legislation and

public policy,” said ICA President Dr. Maltby. “We

look forward to that dialogue and will keep the ICA membership informed of the

results,” Dr. Maltby concluded.

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