Costa Rica Legalizes Chiropractic

Culminates Nearly a Decade of Effort

By Editorial Staff

On September 27th, just over a year after it was introduced into the Costa Rica legislature, Vice President Elizabeth Odio Benito signed Projected Law 13270, legalizing chiropractic as a separate and distinct profession.

The signing of the bill is the culmination of almost a decade's worth of hard work from doctors of chiropractic and outside the country.

Drs. Shawn Henry Dill and Andrew Roberts, members of a chiropractic association called Quiropractica Mundial, were instrumental in the law's passage and were on hand to witness the event, as were other legislators and chiropractic supporters.

"This has been such an arduous process, being a part of its achievement brings an incredible feeling of accomplishment and contentment," said Dr. Roberts. "My hope is that the other chiropractors of the country take some responsibility and begin to work for the good of chiropractic and the people of Costa Rica. We have given them a fully functioning vehicle, and now all they have to do is drive it."

Just over a year ago, Dill and Roberts collaborated with various chiropractic authorities to construct a law that would insure the practice of chiropractic be specifically defined in a manner that would be in accordance with the tenets laid down by the founding fathers of chiropractic. That law became known as Projected Law 13270, and it faced many challenges from medical doctors, lobbyists and politicians - even other chiropractors - before its passage.

There has also been considerable assistance to advance the chiropractic profession in Costa Rica from outside the country. Life University has had formal relations with the government of Costa Rica since 1991, when the college's director of international programs, Dr. Medhat Alaftar, began communications with the country's consul general. A year later, Life signed an agreement of academic exchange with the University of Costa Rica, and a faculty member from that school, Mrs. Yolanda Camacho, entered Life as a full-time chiropractic student in 1993

In 1996, a delegation from Life visited Costa Rica and held a symposium there to introduce chiropractic to other health care providers in the country. At that time, Life officials met with Jose Maria Figueres Olsen, the Costa Rica president at the time, and discussed the future of chiropractic. Since that meeting, Life has been working closely with government officials in Costa Rica to support the introduction of chiropractic legislation, and in 1998, they (together with Drs. Dill and Roberts, and other chiropractic advocates) helped coordinate the introduction of chiropractic law into the government. (Editor's note: For more information on Life's activities in Costa Rica, see "Life U. - Educating the Foundation for Chiropractic in Costa Rica in the May 31st issue of DC, or visit www.chiroweb.com/archives/17/12/19.html ).

After the signing, Projected Law 13270 was given a new name (Law 7912 - Law of the Colegio of Chiropractic Professionals), legalizing chiropractic as a separate and distinct profession, with the formation of a colegio (regulating body) to regulate and execute the provisions of the law.

While some may see a chiropractic law in a country the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined as less than front-page news, the work done by Drs. Dill and Roberts, Life University, Quiropractica Mundial and other groups represents an important step in advancing chiropractic in Central America. The potential for chiropractic in Latin America looms large. There have been significant advances for chiropractic being made in Brazil, the largest country in South America.

For more contact information on Quiropractica Mundial, go to www.quiropracticamundial.com .