"Scientific American Frontiers" is hosted by actor Alan Alda, and produced by the Chedd-Angier Production Company (headquartered in Boston), in association with Scientific American magazine.
"A Different Way to Heal," premiering on PBS at 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 4, 2002, will include segments on chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage therapy and magnet therapy. The program notes for "A Different Way to Heal" point to the confidence consumers have with alternative health care, and add: "There are lots of claims for the efficacy of such treatments, but very little scientific testing and evidence to support them. In this episode we'll follow research projects and clinical trials that are attempting to test these claims with scientific methods."
The production crew began by interviewing Life West President Gerard Clum,DC, about the general scope of chiropractic and its education requirements. Dr. Clum's segment was followed by an interview with Gregory Plaugher,DC, the college's director of research. Dr. Plaugher explained Life West's chiropractic research studies with head-trauma cases and pediatric asthma, and a number of international and national clinical trials of chiropractic.
"Scientific American Frontiers" requested to tape three chiropractic techniques. Life West offered professor David Donaldson,DC, to demonstrate the Activator adjustment; David Browning,DC (the Toggle adjustment); and Stephen Rowe,DC (the Gonstead technique).
"We chose to shoot the chiropractic segment at Life West because I wanted to include a wide variety of chiropractic techniques," explained David Huntley, senior producer for the Chedd-Angier production company. "I was told by a Boston chiropractor that Life West was known for teaching quite a few adjusting techniques."
For more information on the "Scientific American Frontiers" series, go to www.pbs.org.
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