Palmer-Samueli-RAND receive $7.4-million for study of chiropractic treatment for military readiness

A powerful consortium of the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research (PCCR), the RAND Corporation and the Samueli Institute were recently awarded a $7.4 million grant for a 4-year research project “to assess chiropractic treatment for military readiness in active duty personnel.” The funds came through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program. The grant is the largest single award for a chiropractic research project in the history of chiropractic. Ian Coulter, PhD, the Samueli Institute Chair in Policy for Integrative Medicine at RAND Corporation, is the research project’s principal investigator. Christine Goertz, DC, PhD, Palmer’s vice chancellor for research and health policy and Joan Walter JD, Samueli Institute medical research head, are co-principal investigators. The project will assess chiropractic’s effectiveness in: relieving low back pain and improving function in active duty service members; evaluating the effects of chiropractic treatment on reflexes and reaction times for Special Operations forces; determining the effect of chiropractic treatment on strength, balance and injury prevention for members of the Armed Forces with combat specialties; and, assessing the impact of a chiropractic intervention on smoking cessation in military service members.