Science Day in Oslo

European perspective and future challenges

Øystein OgrePresident European Chiropractors´

Union

• European situation– Some have everything– The rest have little or nothing

• In most places in Europe and the world–Marginal group

• One country cannot experience success over years by itself.

• Dependant on other countries having success too.

Number of members in ECU countries

LiechtensteinPoland

LuxembourgTurkeyIcelandCyprus

PortugalGreeceFinland

GermanyBelgium

IrelandSweden

ItalySpain

SwitzerlandNetherlands

FranceNorway

Great Britain

0 200 400 600 800 1000 120033678122022

448190

112149150

187237241

322520

1137

Number of Students studying in ECU Countries

LiechtensteinFinlandGreeceIcelandCyprus

BelgiumIreland

SwitzerlandGermany

NetherlandsItaly

SwedenSpain

NorwayGreat Britain

France

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 70013346

242831

50505360

123300

599650

SWOTThreats:

• Competing professions– Physiotherapists– Osteopaths– Manual therapists– Naprapaths

• The gap between the academic institutions and the profession– Parts of the profession are still in the alternative

or CAM business• Lack of unity• Lack of organisation

Number of Osteopaths, Manual Therapists, Naprapaths compared to Chiropractors

Belgium

Great Brit

ain

Icelan

d

Irelan

dIta

ly

Luxe

mbourg

Netherlands

Norway

Spain

Sweden

Switz

erland

Turkey

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

NaprapathsManual TherapistsOsteopathsChiropractors

% o

f Nap

rapa

ths,

Man

ual T

hera

pist

, O

steo

path

s and

Chi

ropr

acto

rs

Annual Membership Fees paid to National Associations €

CyprusIcelandTurkey

LuxembourgGreece

LiechtensteinGermany

FranceSpain

BelgiumGreat Britain

ItalyFinland

SwedenIreland

NetherlandsNorway

Switzerland

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000200220250

329500500

800900

120013501362

15001600

20402049

21502500

2776

Results of the EAC Survey 2010: Financial Support for Research concerning Chiropractic in

Europe

General Council meeting Zurich1st of June 2011

Response rate

• All 19 ECU presidents completed the questionnaire in addition of Denmark and the EAC Research Fund (=100%)

With regards to RESEARCH, the European Chiropractors' Union (ECU) and members must • enhance education (80% positive agreement)• Increase research capacity (85% positive

agreement) –member level support PhD's (79% positive agreement)

• Support the development of a research agenda (74% positive agreement)

Money for research

• 79% of countries is lacking money• 80% of countries is interested in working

together in a network

Do you have a national Fund

• 7 ECU nations have a research Fund• It is only logical that the smaller countries

have no research fund-other priorities• Some of the larger countries appear not to

have a Fund

How much money does your country invest in your national research Fund

Denmark and regions Denmark ECU nations EAC research fund0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

Number of PhD students

Belgium

France

Germany

Great Britain

Netherlands

Norway

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1

1

5

1

6

1

2

1

1

8

1

1

1

1

1

PhD Students With PhD's

Successful research pathways

• Invest in PhD• Open doors towards universities• Get a chair of chiropractic in the universities• Get access to local state funding-EU funding

Progress

• EAC research fund from €55.000 in 2008, €97.000 in 2011

• Research school in Norway– 50.000€ from the ECU– 50.000€ from the NCA

• France started a research fund in 2010• UK has plans for a pan association fund

Brave leadership & sustainability

• Academic development– Establish more chiropractic programmes at

universities– More research– More PhD´s

• More emphasis on interprofessional education

• Better organised• Need to be united

• If you gave a man a fish…….