DRX9000 is another trip/trap designed to TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE IN DESPERATE PAIN.

Read this and then run, don't walk, the other way:

For those who don't know, the DRX 9000 is a fancy traction table billed by those who treat back pain (mainly chiropractors and in my area a group of DO's) as a spinal "decompression" unit. I initially became suspicious and concerned about the device when I had several back pain patients that were previously treated at the DO's facility. The ALL said that their treatment consisted of daily treatments for 6 weeks of spinal decompression in the DRX 9000, water massage (like you see in malls) and blowing up a balloon. The latter is a whole other subject to post about. The point here is the DAILY treatment for 6 weeks. Regardless if they had simple mechanical LBP, HNP, stenosis, etc, everyone seems to have received the same treatment. The worst part is, in many cases, their insurance companies did not pay for this plan of care.

Now the Tampa Tribune reports the manufacturer, Axiom Worldwide, was raided by FBI agents this morning. Why? The story doesn't say, but Dean Moyer over at Rebuild Your Back states this:


Rumor has it that the allegations leveled against Axiom are:

* Axiom instructs DRX 9000 clinic owners how to defraud insurance companies in the training manuals that come with the machine.

* Axiom provides false advertising materials … in the form of slick infomercials and print advertising … as part of the DRX-9000 package.

* Claims of FDA approval are distorted and misrepresented as a selling point in the commercials. The truth is, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never evaluated the machine for safety or effectiveness. As it turns out, the DRX was grandfathered in because it is similar to other traction tables and, therefore, considered an existing medical device.

* The claim by Axiom that their machine is based on NASA research is a total fabrication. NASA has never played a part in the development of the DRX or any other spinal decompression machine.

What can you do? Educate, educate, educate. Don't be afraid to tell people the truth. There is NO literature that shows the DRX 9000 to be more beneficial than standard traction and not much literature that shows traction, in general is helpful. Hopefully the Feds can help put a stop to people using "Dr." to dupe the layperson in to forking over money for treatment that is excessive in number and in no way has been shown to be better than less expensive treatment.