How many people die a year from chiropractic?

Answer 1

Like any medical treatment, there are risks associated with chiropractic treatment.

A recent study identified all the published reports of a patient dying after chiropractic care (reference 1). In total, this study found evidence for the deaths of 26 people since 1934. This equates to about 1 death every 3 years or 0.33 deaths per year.

To put this in some perspective, another study found that at least 44,000 and perhaps as many as 98,000 Americans die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors (reference 2).

References:

1) Ernst E. Deaths after chiropractic: a review of published cases. Int J Clin Pract. 2010 Jul;64(8):1162-5.

2) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (National Center for Health Statistics). Deaths: Final Data for 1997. National Vital Statistics Reports. 47(19):27, 1999.

Answer 2

The number of deaths directly linked to chiropractic care is very low, with estimates ranging from 1 in 1 to 1 in 500 million chiropractic adjustments resulting in serious complications. Chiropractic care is generally considered a safe and effective treatment option when performed by a qualified and licensed practitioner.