PETA BLASTS CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE OVER SPINAL EXPERIMENTS ON CATS, RATS

[antiquity]

PETA BLASTS CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE OVER SPINAL EXPERIMENTS ON CATS, RATS


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Animals Pay Ultimate Price for School's Defensive Reaction to Critics
For Immediate Release:
January 8, 2003
Contact:
Peter Wood 757-622-7382

This morning, PETA faxed a letter to Guy F. Riekeman, president of the Palmer Chiropractic University System, regarding reports that his institution plans to start using cats in the invasive spine experiments it currently carries out on rats, although one Palmer researcher agrees with PETA that the value to human patients of such experiments is doubtful. In past correspondence, Riekeman implied that the reason the tests were ordered was to protect "a profession that has been under attack for its 107-year history" by physicians. Since the school has previously expressed an interest in engaging in an "honest dialogue" with PETA about the tests, PETA is asking for full access to the research protocols for review by experts.

Charles N. Henderson, who is currently conducting spine experiments on animals at Palmer, questioned the value of his own research in the formal abstract of the experiments, writing: "[T]he degree to which information gained from [quadrupeds] can be applied to the biped human is a question that remains unanswered."

"Instead of torturing animals to try to convince your critics to leave you alone, why not provide them with data from the study and treatment of humans over the past 100-plus years, especially considering that the skeletal structures of bipeds and quadrupeds cannot be compared," writes PETA research associate Peter Wood in his letter to Dr. Riekeman. "Killing animals to demonstrate or prove the value of human chiropractic medicine is a hideous indictment of your values."

The Palmer Chiropractic University System is headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, with branches in San Jose, Calif., and Port Orange, Fla.

For more information about animal testing, please visit PETA's Web site StopAnimalTests.com.
PETA's letter to Guy F. Riekeman, D.C., follows. PETA's past correspondence with Riekeman is available upon request.

January 8, 2003
Guy F. Riekeman, D.C.
President
Palmer Chiropractic University System
1000 Brady St.
Davenport, IA 52803-5287
One page via facsimile: 563-884-5409
Dear Dr. Riekeman:

In our November 11 and December 16 letters to you, we asked that you confirm or deny reports that the Palmer Chiropractic University System is planning to expand its use of animals in its research program with the introduction of subluxation experiments on cats.

In your December 20, 2002, letter to us, you state: "I will tell you, I have, along with our Board, Administration, Faculty and Students, considered the potential good that would come of our research efforts before we ever began them, and we are continuing with our plans." Despite your invitation to us to participate in "honest dialogue" on the issue of conducting experiments on animals, you appear to have already made your decision. Although you have steadfastly avoided written confirmation that cats will be used at Palmer, we are aware of Charles Henderson's subluxation experiments on rats and the fact that your institution has contacted the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding licensure. As you know, USDA licensure is required of any research facility conducting or planning to conduct research on warm-blooded animals other than rats, mice, and birds.

In your letter you also state: "As President of the largest and oldest Chiropractic College in the world, I would hope that you would understand the competing interests I must consider for a profession that has been under attack for its 107-year history." Instead of torturing animals to try to convince your critics to leave you alone, why not provide them with data from the study and treatment of humans over the past 100-plus years, especially considering that the skeletal structures of bipeds and quadrupeds cannot be compared. Killing animals to demonstrate or prove the value of human chiropractic medicine is a hideous indictment of your values. If it is being done simply to obtain grants, then more is the shame.

Finally, in the spirit of the honest dialogue you desire and which we are willing to pursue, we would like to receive protocols for the rat and cat experiments, respectively, so that we can have them reviewed by outside professionals (i.e., a medical doctor, a doctor of chiropractic medicine, and a veterinarian). We thank you for your time and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Peter Wood
Research Associate

http://www.peta.org/news/NewsItem.asp?id=1775