Stephen Barrett

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Image:Stephen Barrett MD Quackwatch.jpg

Stephen Barrett, M.D. (born 1933), is a retired American physician who resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He is a 1957 graduate of the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. Barrett is known as an author and editor, who describes himself as a consumer advocate. He is the founder of eight controversial websites dedicated to exposing what he considers "quackery and health fraud" (including Quackwatch, Chirobase, Dental Watch, Homeowatch, Internet Health Pilot, MLM Watch, Naturowatch, and Nutriwatch).

In addition to his websites, Barrett is a founder, vice-president and a board member of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), an advisor to the American Council on Science and Health, and a Fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP).

Barrett edits the Consumer Health Digest (a weekly electronic newsletter) and is medical editor of Prometheus Books. His 47 books include The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America and five editions of the college textbook Consumer Health: A Guide to Intelligent Decisions.

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Platform for activism

The Quackwatch website is his main platform, run by himself and individuals he has designated as scientific and technical advisors, and "numerous" volunteers, all at "minimal expense."[1][2]

Barrett defines "quackery" as "anything involving overpromotion in the field of health," and he believes the word "fraud" should be "reserved only for situations in which deliberate deception is involved." [3][4]

Using these definitions, he has written about alleged quackery and fraud within the fields of acupuncture, algae-based therapies, alternative and complementary medicine, applied kinesiology, ayurvedic medicine, yeast allergies, chelation therapy, Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractic, colloidal silver and minerals, amalgam removal within dentistry, craniosacral therapy, detoxification therapies, DHEA, dietary supplements, ear candling, ergogenic aids, faith healing, genetic diagnoses, glucosamine, growth hormones, hair analysis, herbal medicine, homeopathy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, iridology, juicing, magnet therapy, nutritional therapy for emotional problems, metabolic therapy, organic food, osteopathy, pneumatic trabeculoplasty, reflexology, and many others.

He also maintains lists of individuals, organizations, and websites which he considers to be "questionable" and therefore "does not recommend."

Stephen Barrett was a peer reviewer with JAMA in 1999 when it published nine-year old Emily Rosa's study finding no evidence for the underlying claim of "Therapeutic Touch". He was a co-author of the study, with close ties to the Rosa familyTemplate:Fact.

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Recognition and awards

Barrett's work has received numerous awards, including the Best physician-authored site, MD NetGuide, May 2003.

He has also been named as one of the outstanding skeptics of the 20th century by Skeptical Inquirer Magazine.

In 1984, he received an FDA Commissioner's Special Citation Award for Public Service in fighting nutrition quackery. In 1986, he was awarded honorary membership in the American Dietetic Association. From 1987 through 1989, he taught health education at Pennsylvania State University.

Many academic and medical websites link to Quackwatch.<ref>Google search many academic and medical sites link to Quackwatch</ref> <ref>http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=quackwatch</ref>

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Criticism

Barrett is often accused by alternative practitioners of biasing his information against all forms of "alternative medicine." In responding to these criticisms he claims it is a matter of "balance":

... quackery and fraud don't involve legitimate controversy and are not balanced subjects. I don't believe it is helpful to publish "balanced" articles about unbalanced subjects. Do you think that the press should enable rapists and murderers to argue that they provide valuable services? [5]

On October 13, 2005 he admitted in a Pennsylvania court that he had failed the optional certification exam for Medical Board Certification in psychiatry. His opponents viewed this as a major revelation since Barrett had claimed qualifications for "expert testimony" as psychiatrist and had testified in numerous court cases. Barrett also had said that he was a "legal expert" even though he has no formal legal training.

Barrett claims criticisms of his alleged bias against "alternative" treatments are unanswerable because they contain an invalid assumption, since "Alternative is a slogan often used for promotional purposes, not a definable set of methods." [6]. The World Chiropractic Alliance states, "Barrett has had a reputation for threatening lawsuits to silence his detractors" [7] [8][9][10][11]

Barrett is the subject of much criticism from alternative medicine advocates for pursuing lawsuits against alternative medicine.

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Notes

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External links

Advocacy
Critical
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