The ECU invests over a third of its income in evidence-based research through its research arm, the European Centre for Chiropractic Research Excellence (ECCRE) and other initiatives such as the Chiropractic and Manual Therapies journal (see below).
The ECCRE is based at the Chiropractic Knowledge Hub in Odense, Denmark. The aim of this research institute is to contribute to further development and strengthening of musculoskeletal research in Europe.
The Lancet published a series about trends in diagnosis and treatment of low back pain around the world in 2018. This series, which involved the work of a number of chiropractors, called for action on this global problem.
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends spinal manipulation (which is typically provided by chiropractors) for low back pain and sciatica.
Additional information from NICE includes an overall view of musculoskeletal conditions and the 2020 full evidence review of the guidelines.
Further work is being done by a number of other chiropractic research establishments throughout Europe:
- Chiropractic Research Council (UK)
- ELIB Et Liv I Bevegelse (Norway)
- Dutch-Belgian Research Institute of Chiropractic DBRIC
- The LKR Research Foundation (Sweden)
- The Chiropractic Academy of Research Leadership (CARL)
- The Danish Research Fund
- The Swiss Chiropractic Research Foundation is currently being established.
Chiropractic and Manual Therapies journal
The European Academy of Chiropractic is a partner (alongside Chiropractic Australia, the Chiropractic Knowledge Hub and the Royal College of Chiropractors) in the Chiropractic & Manual Therapies journal, an open access, peer-reviewed journal that aims to provide chiropractors, manual therapists and related health professionals with clinically relevant, evidence-based information.
Patient Safety
Some larger ECU members such as Denmark have their own government patient safety system. In ECU member countries where there is no such system, the ECU ensures that chiropractors are able to report and comment on incidents through the UK’s Chiropractic Patient Incident Reporting and Learning System (CPIRLS).
CPIRLS is an online reporting and learning forum, run by the Royal College of Chiropractors.
A CPiRLS team identifies trends among submitted reports in order to provide feedback for the profession. Sharing information in this way helps to ensure the whole profession learns from the collective experience in the interests of patients.
A series of regional safety seminars, and workshops at association conferences help encourage all chiropractors to adopt incident reporting as part of a blame-free culture of safety, and a routine risk management tool.
All ECU member associations require all their full members to be graduates of chiropractic educational institutions accredited by the European Council on Chiropractic Education (ECCE), which is the European arm of the Councils on Chiropractic Education International (CCEI) and the Council on Chiropractic Education USA (CCE USA).
Find out more about quality assurance for chiropractic education in Europe.