Chiropractic patients appreciate the benefits of natural health care and are acutely aware of the dangerous power of the "medical monopoly." But what about the 86-92 percent of consumers who do not visit a chiropractor? What about the general public that remains bound by the overwhelming influence of pharmaceutical companies, drug-prescribing medical doctors and a pro-MD managed care industry?
Opening the Public's Eyes
According to the synopsis, available along with other information about the film at www.medicalincmovie.com, "Medical Inc. reveals the unseen tactics of these 'influencers' in an investigation that leads to the highest levels of the American Medical Association (AMA) and reveals an alarming portrait of deception and criminality. Along the way we wonder:
- Is much of what we 'know' about modern medicine just slick marketing from companies that profit when we're in pain (or by putting us in pain)?
- Why aren't we being told about the successes of natural therapies?
- Why do so many people think chiropractors are 'quacks,' nutritional supplements a waste of money, and acupuncture a fringe therapy?
"Is it because the "Medical Monopoly" spends millions a year attacking, ridiculing, and trying to discredit these natural therapies? The answers are almost beyond belief, until Medical, Inc. takes us into the courtroom with five chiropractors who, having been labeled 'an unscientific cult,' fought back and won a landmark verdict.
"Their heroic story forms the backdrop of one of the most personally compelling documentaries ever. Because of their bravery, the medical industrial complex is no longer blocking access to safe natural alternatives, pill-popping is giving way to smarter preventative care, and purveyors of sickness are being shoved aside, resulting in a healthier life for us all."
Why "Medical Inc."?
The executive producer of "Medical, Inc.," Jeff Hays, describes himself as a filmmaker and serial entrepreneur. Hays, who began making films in the late 1990s and has produced "Farenhype 9/11," a response to Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11"; and "On Native Soil," which focuses on the demands of the surviving family members of 9/11 victims for an official investigation into the attacks. "On Native Soil" was short-listed for an Academy Award.
"I couldn't be more excited to do this documentary [Medical Inc.]," said Hays. "In recent years my eyes have been opened to alternative health care options. The immediate increase in health I experienced personally after starting down this road is something I've just got to share with people."
Hays said has been seeing Dr. Craig Buhler (team DC for the NBA Utah Jazz) for some time, driving an hour or so each way to see him every few weeks. It has made "a profound impact" on his health, so much so that "if I were ever to have any major health issue, I wouldn't make a move without having a chiropractor have a voice at the table." Hays has also visited Dr. Francis Murphy in Dallas for frozen shoulder; after one treatment, Hays had "more movement than I've had for the past decade."
Hays believes "Medical Inc." is a unique opportunity and that he has a unique perspective to share. "The campaign against chiropractic from all the from all the different sources has shaped our attitudes so successfully that it's opened up a space for a counter-argument," he said. "I think I'm in a position – because of the past experiences that I've had – to do a better job than the industry can do from the inside out. ... To have somebody stand up from the outside and talk about what works and what chiropractors are capable of doing is more credible than letting the industry tell their own story."
Tasha Oldham, the documentary's Emmy-nominated director, began her film career working on David Lynch's "Lost Highway" and went on to work in development at Columbia/Tri-Star Pictures, then on the set working as a script supervisor for films and television series. Her directorial debut, "The Smith Family," won the American Film Institute (AFI) Film Festival's Audience Award and the prestigious Columbia/Alfred I. duPont Award. Oldham received the coveted Directors Guild of America Award and was nominated for an Emmy.
Oldham said she's also been to see Dr. Buhler and is decidely pro-chiropractic, which no doubt accounts for her enthusiasm in directing "Medical, Inc." In fact, she said she first questioned her MD at the age of 8.
"I've had this inherent mistrust in conventional medicine, perhaps because I believe in listening to my body first, and that's what I understand to be the basis of chiropractic care – that we can heal ourselves. On a larger scope, I'm excited to share with people that there is another way to deal with your health care and to deal with preventive medicine. ... Wellness should be an integral part of how we approach health care."
Hays said he hopes to have initial footage from "Medical, Inc." available at the National Chiropractic Legislative Conference in February, with full release anticipated in March 2012. For more information, click here.
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