Chiropractors have been banned from cracking babies’ backs after a controversial practice left a child with a broken spine

Chiropractors have again been banned from providing spine treatment to babies after health ministers demanded a regulator reverse its controversial decision.

The Chiropractic Board of Australia drew the ire of medical professionals and politicians last week after deciding to allow chiropractors to use spinal manipulation again on children under the age of two.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler demanded an urgent explanation from the board and raised the issue with health ministers at a meeting on Friday.

The board confirmed Monday it would reinstate an interim policy banning the practice, following a request from the meeting of health ministers.

The policy would be in effect until further consultation with health ministers allowed a final decision to be made, the board said.

“While there is no evidence that chiropractic care causes serious harm to babies in Australia, the board’s role is primarily to protect the public,” said board chairman Wayne Minter.

‘We look forward to working with ministers to develop an evidence-based final policy on children’s care that balances the overriding need to protect patients, with the right for parents and other patients to have a say in the care they choose.’

The board banned the practice in 2019 while it gathered evidence on its safety and effectiveness.

It later commissioned Cochrane Australia to review spinal manipulation in children under the age of 12 and published updated guidelines in November 2023, allowing chiropractors to treat children based on evidence and/or best practice approaches.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler demanded an urgent explanation from the board and raised the issue with health ministers at a meeting on Friday

“The board will take into account its obligations under national law and any further decisions by health ministers when developing a final position,” the board said in a statement.

Medical bodies opposed the move to allow babies to undergo chiropractic spinal treatment because two studies found there was no evidence to support the practice.

Children required medical care after some treatments, including one who had a spinal fracture.

Michael Clements, vice-president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said while there is a role for alternative therapies in treating certain conditions, this is not the case for babies.

“The idea that children should now be subjected to spinal manipulation … is quite frightening,” he said.

The Chiropractic Board of Australia said it expected chiropractors who did not have the clinical skills and knowledge to treat pediatric patients would refer them to another doctor or co-treat the patient with them.