Dr. Gregory Cramer, dean of research at NUHS, spoke at the fourth annual International Seminar of Chiropractic in November, at University Feevale in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil. Considered the most important chiropractic event in South America, it shows how chiropractic medicine has grown in popularity around the world.

At the Brazilian seminar, Dr. Cramer lectured on the clinical anatomy of spinal manipulative therapy, spinal joint pain, and cervicogenic headache. He also spoke on the risks versus benefits of spinal manipulative therapy.

From l-r: Dr. Danilo da Silva, Conference Coordinator and Professor of Chiropractic at
U Feevale; Dr. Greg Cramer, NUHS; Dr. Thiana Paula Schmidt Dos Santos,
Chiropractic Program Coordinator at U Feevale.

University Feevale is in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, and has 17,000 students. It also offers a chiropractic program with a DC degree. The chiropractic program at University Feevale is one of two such programs in Brazil (the other is in Sao Paulo). Both programs began in the year 2000, graduating their first classes in 2005. Both programs recently received full accreditation by the Ministry of Education of the Brazilian government.

“I found the students, alumni, faculty, and staff to be extremely friendly, intelligent, hard working, and dedicated,” says Dr. Cramer. “They are very committed to developing chiropractic medicine as an evidence-based, mainstream health care profession in Brazil.”

Dr. Cramer also enjoyed the hospitality of his hosts, which included a special Brazilian barbeque, and learning more about the region’s “gaucho” culture. “The Portuguese interpreters were excellent, and it wasn’t a problem at all giving talks.”

The current challenge for Brazilian DCs is to encourage their government to pass a law regulating the chiropractic profession in Brazil.  Dr. Danilo Da Silva, program coordinator and professor of chiropractic at University Feevale, says:  “The chiropractic profession is relatively new in Brazil. My personal goal is to see a chiropractic practice informed in evidence, where chiropractic is fully integrated into the Brazilian health system. This would result in a bright future for the profession in Brazil.”

Thanking Dr. Cramer for his participation, Dr. Da Silva says, “The presence of Dr. Gregory Cramer enhanced this prestigious event, motivated the students and professionals, and assisted in the development of the profession in Brazil. We’re enormously grateful to Dr. Cramer and to National University of Health Sciences for allowing him to come so that the attendees could learn about research that supports the profession and its promising future.”

Dr. Thiana Paula Schmidt Dos Santos, head coordinator of the chiropractic program at University Feevale, remarks: “Our goal with the conference is to provide the chiropractors and chiropractic students of Brazil with the best and most current clinical procedures and research information available. The conference also builds bridges between students, practitioners, and academics in Brazil; and clinicians and researchers throughout the world. Based on the comments I have received from many chiropractors and students in attendance, this conference, like those in the past, was a great success and we sincerely appreciate Dr. Cramer’s contribution to the conference.”