A Tribute to George P. McAndrews, JD
IN MEMORIAM
Louis Sportelli
DC
July 29, 1935 - April 7, 2023 When we reflect on the life of an individual, we look at the dash between birth and eternal life. The “DASH” representing all the time spent on earth and how the individual lived their life. Unquestionably George P. McAndrews spent his “DASH” as a loving husband, a caring father, a great attorney, a mentor, advisor and most of all a great friend. To those who knew George, there was no doubt he was a special human being.
...his father, brother and ultimately his daughter were all doctors of chiropractic...
It is not often in the lifetime of one individual that so many could be impacted so much by one single individual. George McAndrews changed the lives of millions of people by taking on a legal case that no one wanted to take, because the challenges were so great. Thankfully because his father, brother and ultimately his daughter were all doctors of chiropractic, George decided to accept the challenge. Remember his decision to take the case was made in the early 1970’s when the American Medical Association was very powerful (often referred to as the 4th branch of government) and influential and his law firm was located in Chicago (home of the AMA).
It was discovered in the early 1970s through various sources, that in 1963 the American Medical Association had clandestinely formed a
“Committee on Quackery,” whose sole objective was to first contain and then eliminate the profession of chiropractic. George knew this was not only illegal but definitely would impact the ability of the chiropractic profession to survive.
George McAndrews was to me a champion, a hero, a mentor, a counselor, but most of all a friend for more than 50 years. The epic battle with the American Medical Association resulted in a 14-year litigation that changed the entire profession and totally altered the relationship between Medicine and Chiropractic.
It is impossible to properly recognize George McAndrews for his heroic effort. In 2018, Howard Wolinsky was commissioned to write a book about the battle to stop the AMA from eliminating the profession of chiropractic. The book appropriately was titled: CONTAIN AND ELIMINATE.
George McAndrews recognized that the legal challenges to the profession were important; however he was always a champion of research and understood that it was research that would ultimately augment the science and bolster the validity of chiropractic.
This book is the culmination of his epic effort and was dedicated to George McAndrews and written as a thank-you tribute for what he did and the sacrifices he made to Right the Wrongs, and Correct the Injustices for his father, brother, daughter and all chiropractors worldwide. He was a hero and a champion, and I was proud to call him friend and wifi miss him very much.
Known fondly as “Papa George” to his 21 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren, George passed away peacefully on Good Friday surrounded by his wife of 59 years, Katharine, and their five children as he took his final breaths. He was 87.
Doctors of chiropractic who wish to pay a tribute to George P. McAndrews can contribute to the George P. and Jerome F. McAndrews memorial research fund at: The NCMIC Foundation, 14001 University Ave, Mail Stop A3E, Clive, IA 50325-8258, www.ncmicfoundation.org.
