QuackWatch
Tagged:

* Organizations

Quackwatch, http://www.quackwatch.com,
(originally Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud, Inc.) is an AMA (American Medical Association) shill that took over from the Coordinating Conference on Health Information (CCHI) and the AMA's propaganda department called the Committee on Quackery when it had to disband ref: Lisa. It only promotes and defends Allopathic (drugs) medicine while attacking non-Allopathic.

Of Stephen Barrett of http://www.quackwatch.com
and http://www.ncahf.com
(National Council Against Health Fraud--another shill for the AMA, American Medical Association):

biased and unworthy of credibility" in court of law, Jan 2007

Barrett also had said that he was a legal expert even though he had no formal legal training.

Barrett conceded that he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the certification exam.

Barrett had filed similar defamation lawsuits against almost 40 people across the country within the past few years and had not won one single one at trial.

During the course of his examination, Barrett also had to concede his ties to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

In a Canadian lawsuit (see below) Barrett admitted to the following:

The sole purpose of the activities of Barrett & Baratz are to discredit and cause damage and harm to health care practitioners, businesses that make alternative health therapies or products available, and advocates of non-allopathic therapies and health freedom.

Stephen Barrett testifies for money. He claims he's an "expert" in virtually everything. Those "expert witness" fees seem to be a significant part of Barrett's existence.

http://www.quackwatch.org,
healthwather.net, the "quackbuster" operation is a conspiracy. It is a propaganda enterprise, one part crackpot, two parts evil. It's sole purpose is to discredit, and suppress, in an "anything goes" attack mode, what is wrongfully named "Alternative Medicine." It has declared war on reality. The conspirators are acting in the interests of, and are being paid, directly and indirectly, by the "conventional" medical-industrial complex.

"They are running a monopoly and they will lie, cheat and steal to keep it that way," Dr Eva Snead.

"Every day, consumers are becoming more educated about the benefits of holistic and alternative methods. This is something that the medical establishment obviously fears and wants to crush with false propaganda."
Failed MD Stephen Barrett

Stephen Barrett - Professional Crackpot...

The Internet needs health information it can trust. Stephen Barrett doesn't provide it...

Barrett is one of those people whose ambitions and opinions of himself far exceeds his abilities. Without ANY qualifications he has set himself up as an expert in just about everything having to do with health care - and more.

And this from a man who is a professional failure.

Records show that Barrett never achieved any success in the medical profession. His claim to being a "retired Psychiatrist" is laughable. He is, in fact, a "failed Psychiatrist," and a "failed MD."

The Psychiatric profession rejected Barrett years ago, for Barrett could NOT pass the examinations necessary to become "Board Certified." Which, is no doubt why Barrett was, throughout his career, relegated to lower level "part time" positions.

Barrett, we know, was forced to give up his medical license in Pennsylvania in 1993 when his "part-time" employment at the State Mental Hospital was terminated, and he had so few (nine) private patients during his last five years of practice, that he couldn't afford the Malpractice Insurance premiums Pennsylvania requires.

In a job market in the United States, where there is a "doctor shortage," Stephen Barrett, after his termination by the State mental Hospital, couldn't find employment. He was in his mid-50s at the time. He should have been at the top of his craft - yet, apparently, he couldn't find work.

It is obvious, that, after one humiliation after another, in 1993 Barrett simply gave up his medical aspirations, turned in his MD license, and retreated, in bitterness and frustration, to his basement.

It was in that basement, where Barrett took up "quackbusting" - which, in reality, means that Barrett attacks "cutting-edge" health professionals and paradigms - those that ARE achieving success in their segment of health care.

And there, in "quackbusting" is where Barrett finally found the attention and recognition he seems to crave - for, a while, that is, until three California Judges, in a PUBLISHED Appeals Court decision, took a HARD look at Barrett's activities, and declared him "biased, and unworthy of credibility."

Bitterness against successful health professionals is Barrett's hallmark. To him they're all "quacks." In this, his essays are repetitive and pedestrian.

Barrett, in his writings, says the same things, the same way, every time - change the victim and the subject, and still you yawn your way through his offerings. It's like he's filling out a form somebody gave him...

Take an overactive self importance, couple it with glaring failure and rejection in his chosen profession, add a cup of molten hatred for those that do succeed, pop it in the oven - and out comes Stephen Barrett - self-styled "expert in everything."

Barrett, we know, along with his website, is currently named, among other things, in a racketeering (RICO) case in Federal Court in Colorado.
"Quackbusters" Have Giant Court Losses on Two Continents

Recent rulings in Amsterdam, Pennsylvania and the Supreme Court of California are heavy blows to the Quackwatch anti-chiropractic and anti-alternative medicine organizations.

After years of being labeled a"quack," and defamed and ridiculed professionally, Dr. Maria Sickesz won a great victory in Amsterdam, Holland early June 2007.

The Netherlands Appeals Court ordered the "Vereniging tegen de Kwalzalverij" (Association Against Quackery, which is the Dutch version of the so- called "Quackbusters" ) to cease and desist from using the demeaning, subjective and pejorative term "quack." This group is linked extensively on their website with the American "quackwatch" headed by Stephen Barrett, who also has suffered several legal defeats recently.

The Justices recognized that this group's affinity for giving demeaning labels to doctors with whose practices they disagreed was a way of shutting down emerging science. They were also ordered to publish a public retraction in two widely circulated newspapers. It has been estimated this will cost them around thirty thousand euros (~US$40,350) and has been written that this will bankrupt this highly controversial association whose work is attempting to destroy alternative practioners in Holland.

Dr. Sickesz developed a kind of healing called orthomanual therapy which integrates chiropractic practices. For several decades the quackbuster organizations around the world have waged legal and public relations wars against chiropractors and other non traditional practitioners, demonizing them with their biased campaigns.

In June, for the second time, Barrett lost a case in a Pennsylvania Appeals Court against a local and respected chiropractor in his hometown of Allentown, PA.
The Six Components of the 2008 Quackbuster Operation...

Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen . Friday, February 22nd, 2008

Do not, for even a second, think that the US "Quackbuster" operation, a plot to stop anyone, and everyone, from changing the broken US health care system, is run, or even maintained, by * MD Stephen Barrett out of his 2421 West Greenleaf Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania address, or his condo at 287 Stoneview, Pittsboro, North Carolina. It would be foolish to assume that this bitter, nasty, old man, who stumbles through life, tripping from one professional failure to another, is running a cleverly set up plot. He's just the "front man." The one they want you to focus on. He's ill. He'll die soon, and someone else will take his place as the frontispiece.

So, who really is running it? And why? And, how is it being done? Keep reading, and all will be revealed.

SUMMARY:

The 2008 Quackbuster operation is involved in “info wars� on the internet. It is a public relations "black-ops," run out of a New York misinformation agency. It has six components designed to do two things: (1) provide false and misleading negative healthcare information, primarily through the internet, to (a) the general public, and (b) employees of health insurance companies, medical malpractice insurance companies, health agencies, County, State, and Federal enforcement agencies about those trying to fix/change the health care system, and people, therapies, products, etc., that compete with the current status quo, and (2) block, or diminish sources of substantial information about positive aspects of those people, therapies, products, etc, that compete with the status quo.

The plot is pervasive, well funded, and well run. And, it's time to break it up. This article will give you the information on how it works, and tips on how to stop it from affecting YOU and your interests.

The New York agency's intent is to not just defame, but to make that defamation, through organization, appear at the top of the search engines like google. Below, I’ll show you how they do that. They have organized to manipulate the online encyclopedia Wikipedia information about health care. They also, through people trained in disruption, troll Usenet (google) discussion groups, badmouthing advanced health care, regularly.

I emphasize that all of this attack is “organized�… and can be traced back to the same people – about five, or six, of them.

In other words, it is not just about Quackwatch. Worldwide, there are four major “quackbuster� centers: the US, Denmark, Canada, and Australia. In the US we are familiar with Barrett, Baratz, etc. In Australia we have “ratbags,� Peter Bowditch. In Canada we have Terry Polevoy. In Denmark we have Paul Lee PT (quackfiles).

The up-and-comer in all this is Paul Lee PT from Denmark, for it is he who manages both the Wikipedia information manipulation system, and the search engine top ranking system I’ll describe below. Although, the TWO systems, in place, give the quackbuster operation “info wars� advantage they also, because of how, and where, they did it, bring Lee, Polevoy and Bowditch, and all of the foreign operations under the jurisdiction of the US Court system. In other words - they made a big mistake, in their eagerness to corrupt.

Why? Because Wikipedia is based in Florida. The search engine placement system they use, called “webring� is based in Ashland, Oregon. Since they do business with these US companies, they are subject to be sued for their activities in this country.

THE COMPONENTS:

(1) The Quackbuster Communication Network has five parts:

(a) The Consumer Health Digest is a newsletter with mailing list of over twelve thousand names. The newsletter is sent out weekly to the mailing list. The list is made up of lower and middle level employees of county, state, and federal health administration and enforcement agencies, and employees of health insurance and medical malpractice insurance company employees. The so-called "Digest" is a simple tool to do two things: (1) propagandize those lower level employees into believing that the targets of the so-called articles are "bad people," criminals, doubtfuls, etc., and (2) convince those employees that they should devote time to investigating, prosecuting, or, at the very least, watching, the targets constantly.

If you, or yours, are the subject of any article on this newsletter - beware, for the readers of these articles are not the brightest people in the world, and would tend to believe what they read.

(b) The Health Fraud Discussion Group has two functions: (1) People making inquiries of information on "quackwatch.org" are "invited" to ask questions on this discussion group where, supposedly, "experts" will give the inquirer more information. Those "experts" are just more quackbuster operatives relaying more of the same lies and misinformation. (2) The discussion group provides a format for the quackbusters to showcase subjects, or people they want to defame or deride.

(c) The Skeptics Discussion Group is simply a means for the quackbuster propaganda system to tie into the worldwide "Skeptic" organization by trying to interest the Skeptic movement in being super-critical of the issues the quackbusters promote. Frankly, I don't know how well this works, or doesn't work, for them, because the involved so-called "skeptics" I see publicly are, for the most part, dolts - pseudo-skeptics operating in a pseudo-intellectual mode, trying to impress others with their claims to Mensa status - and not doing very well at it.

(d) The James Randi Discussion Group is an odd thing. James Randi, who bills himself as "The Amazing Randi," is, it appears, a fifth-rate magician who seems to play the Motel-6 Lounge Circuit in the US. He gets himself on television promoting various "doubts" about various things. Randi is not very impressive, and when you batch that together with his gargantuan ego, and his pompous presentations, you get just about what you would expect.

(e) SSR.com is the lair of Scott Ballantyne and the ScottSoft Research group out of New York City. SSR.com is the HOST for all of the above. Ballantyne is a relative unknown, and there is no obvious reason apparent why Ballantyne provides expertise, time, and labor to host, and manage, the four activities above. I suspect he is funded directly out of the New York misinformation agency.

Note - for those of you who wish to subpoena information (and you should) from SSR.com (Ballantyne), about the activities of these entities above in regards to individual clients, contact me, and I'll provide the data you need for subpoenas - and more. Ballantyne, I think, is in a panic (and he should be), lately, for he destroyed all of the archives of the Health Fraud Discussion Group, as he says, "for legal reasons."

(2) The Quackbuster manipulation of Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia:

Wikipedia is an odd thing. It is made up of a so-called "volunteer system." Several years ago, a team of quackbusters infiltrated various levels of the Wikipedia operation, and are now entrenched in the middle, and lower, level volunteer management system. If you try and put any positive information about advanced medicine, or the problems of US health care, on Wikipedia, or change false or misleading information the quackbusters have installed, you will fail. You will be blocked from further "editing" and the pages of Wikipedia will now carry information about what a "terrible person you are." The only way to have ANY influence over what Wikipedia says about subject is to approach them with a legal threat letter at the highest levels. Nothing else works. Even that has problems, for Wikipedia management operates on a financial shoestring, and apparently has no ability to police its own encyclopedia. Unfortunately, people use the encyclopedia - and they get very bad information about health care.

Below is a paragraph from the editor’s section of Wikipedia. The editor, here, is discussing the problem of the quackbuster slime, acting to control the information flow on Wikipedia - and what to do about it. so you understand the abbreviation POV stand for Point of View, and NPOV stands for No Point of View, which Wikipedia wants. The part in red is for emphasis. Read this:

I guess it depends on what purpose the External Links section serves. Do the links have to serve the NPOV interests of the article or can the links section be a place where specific points-of-view can have a chance to be expressed? As it is now, the chiropractic link section is broken down into Advocacy and Critiques. I think that this warns the researcher that they are leaving the NPOV environment that Wikipedia tries to provide and will be entering a POV external site.

If these links are truly just linking to the page for marketing reasons and don't serve a primary function of adding to the knowledge-base, I would then say to axe them. I haven't checked every critical link, but they do seem to link to essays or research on pages that don't directly try to sell you anything (other than their POV). If they are all offering the same POV with no really distinguishing differences, then they should be reduced in number.

The soapbox point is interesting. These are external links so it would seem that Wikipedia is not being directly exploited as a soapbox. However, the abundance of critical links could be seen as an attempt to present bias... using the amount of negative criticisms to invoke a negative POV about chiropractic. My solution up until now has been to add to the advocacy links to balance out the criticism. You can certainly try to delete the critical links and claim NPOV but I can almost guarantee you that you be quickly (and improperly) accused of "vandalism" by one of three specific chiroskeptics who police the chiropractic page all day long as far as I can tell. They love to throw "vandalism" accusations around - and usually are vastly overstating the matter. That being said, I have suggested a "disarming" strategy, where both sides would remove links in a balanced way, but my suggestion was met with silence.

Now as far as the link farming goes. Yes, virtually all of the critical sites are linked together through the SkepticRing, Anti-Quackery Ring, Chiropractic Subluxated Ring and other ways fashioned specifically for the purpose of boosting Search Engine ranking. A lot of those sites are operated by Stephen Barrett and his buddy Sammy Homola - Chirobase.org, Quackwatch.org, and NCAHF. They're three organizations all saying the same thing. What's really slimy is that they state opinions then reference their sister-sites support to that opinion. A lot of the links are operated or moderated by Fyslee (one of the three chiroskepics users who regularly accuse people of vandalism for removing links to his sites). Check out his userpage to see which sites he operates and moderates for. These chiroskepitics are working together to actively employ search engine tricks such as artifically boosting Google ranking by adding external links to their sites all over Wikipedia. I have documented this. Their goal is for a researcher curious about chiropractic to encounter their anti-chiropractic sites first on a Google search. Given these organizations' objective, I can certainly understand why they would want to do this. Unfortunately, the tactics that they employ are objectionable to both Google and Wikipedia. Hopefully these organizations will get wise to the chiroskeptic ring and ban their sites.

I'm not sure what to do in the meantime. One thing that I would like to suggest is that a website is linked to only once in the external links section. As it is now, they are linking to Chirobase and NCAHF several times throughout the article and in the external links section. Talk about boosting external link popularity!

I think that if you showed that some of these links are not providing anything new and are just marketing tools, you should be able to justify deleting them on the discussion page... just prepare yourself for an attack and false accusations. If you can handle all of that with a cool head, I say, "Be bold with your edits!"

I welcome your continued participation on the Chirorpactic and chiropractic-related articles. I think that you have a lot of great insight to offer Wikipedia and you seem to have a vary good graspe on Wikipedia's guidelines. I look forward to your future edits and discussions.

As a side note, I think the reason the chiroskeptics are "shouting" so loud is that they are realizing that nobody is listening to them. Chiropractic is growing faster than ever and more and more patients are receiving the benefits everyday. Levine2112 00:41, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

Note - for those of you who wish to subpoena information (and you should) from Wikipedia, about the activities of these entities above in regards to individual clients, contact me, and I'll provide the data you need for lawsuits, subpoenas, cease and desist letters - and more. Wikipedia is already on notice about the problem. Frankly, their system is goofy, and I can see how they got manipulated. The articles in the media criticizing Wikipedia are on target, and there needs to be more of them. Wikipedia deserves the criticism.

(3) The Quackbuster manipulation of internet search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.):

Ever wonder how the crap quackbusters spew about people, therapies, or products they don't like appears FIRST on the internet search engines? I'm about to tell you how they do that, how to stop it, and how to sue them individually, and together, for having done it. You're going to love this.

There is, on the internet, a whole industry surrounding the idea of getting YOUR information on the first page of search engines like Google. The quackbuster operation uses a company to get their defamation, and false and misleading information on the first page, and the first several pages, of a search engine. If you are a target of theirs, you need to know this, and how it works.

How do they manipulate search engine placement? They use the services of a company called Webring which, for a fee, ties their webring together in such a way as to give each and every of theirr websites top google placement. The Anti-Quackery webring has 85 websites banded together. Their Skeptic webring has 150 websites. Their Chiropractic Subluxation webring has about five websites. They all work together.

Here is how the company Webring explains their service:

WebRing offers a unique and effective means of searching, locating and navigating between web sites with similar themes. WebRing allows web site owners to group their sites together into ring communities, and provides a navigation tool that links web sites together called a NavBar. Linked sites not only eliminate the necessity of repetitive searches, but the NavBar also accumulates hits from all of the sites so that a hit to one site is a hit to all sites. Additionally, the NavBar acts as a link so your web site is linked to every other site in the community. So now your site is benefiting from higher search engine results because it has more hits and more links.

I’m going to give you a short tour of how it works by having you click on a URL. This will take you to a page on the Webring website reserved for the “Anti-quackery webring� manipulated by Paul Lee PT. When you scroll down to see the list of the 85 members, you will notice that there are but a few major websites. Most of them are one-page “made up� stuff. Go here: http://g.webring.com/hub?ring=antiquackerysite


Note - for those of you who wish to subpoena information (and you should) from webring.com about the activities of these entities above in regards to individual clients, contact me, and I'll provide the data you need for subpoenas - and more. But, for sure, subpoena all personal, and business, information gathered by Webring for each and every member, and ringmaster, of the “Anti-quackery webring,� the “Skeptic webring,� the “Anti-quackery links,� and the “Chiropractic is Subluxated� webring.

(4) The Quackbuster infiltration of (Usenet) Internet AltMed Discussion Groups:

Ilena Rosenthal, the head of the anti silicone breast implant Humantics Foundation has been a victim of the New York agency's campaign for years. How has she been victimized? Two ways. (1) First, she's a target by an organized group that seeks to deride her, personally, so as to nullify her efforts to show the severe health problems of silicone breast implants. The New York agency's tactic is to attack her in the internet discussion groups. Their favorite internet tactic is claim that this happily married woman has constant sex with huge numbers of men, and animals. They get away with this, for the most part, because they use "fake" internet IDs, difficult to trace, and because those who are known live outside the US, and they know Rosenthal does not have the money to sue them in several different foreign countries simultaneously. (2) Stephen Barrett of quackwatch.com, and Terry Polevoy from Canada filed a false lawsuit against her - and, even though the lawsuit rebounded against them, and they had to pay her attorney fees of over $500,000, the fight took its toll.

The New York based group invades every internet discussion group it can find, and using similar tactics to those used against Rosenthal, derides and defames those trying to upgrade the health system. There are not that many of them, and we can now identify who most of them are, and who they work for.

Note - for those of you who wish to subpoena information (and you should) from discussion group files, and hosting companies, about the activities of these entities above in regards to individual clients, contact me, and I'll provide the data you need for subpoenas - and more.

(5) Blacklisting certain health practitioners:

In the early 1990s, now deceased John Renner MD, then president of the infamous National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF) had put together a "blacklist" of health professionals which he was distributing to Health Insurance companies and State licensing Boards. There were about 2500 names on that list at the time. The idea of the secret list was to, obviously, damage these health professionals behind the scenes without those professionals knowing about the attack. Renner, I think, was trying for secrecy so he wouldn't get his ass sued off. The list did make an appearance, though, and Renner, and his minions began to have trouble.

Then, a second list appeared, this time assembled, and marketed, by an attorney named Grace Powers Monaco who had started a company called Emprise, which received some of its funding from a $500k annual grant from the National Institute for Health (NIH). Emprise was killed after two things happened - (1) a group called "Act UP" went after their funding, and (2) Emprise got named in a RICO suit in Texas. NIH, among other things, pulled their funding.

So, what happened to the secret list? Do you think the New York agency just dropped that idea? Of course not.

I know where the list is, and how its being used today, and who's doing it. There are over 40,000 names on that list now, probably the names of health professionals who have side-stepped away from the drugs, drugs, and more drugs paradigm, and use successful methods on their patients.

The list is part of a "clearing house" operation used by insurance companies to make decisions about payment. When either a practitioner, or a patient, files a claim for insurance benefits, the data is fed into a computer which then checks the name of the practitioner involved in the transaction. If the name of the practitioner is on the 40,000 list, the claim is re-routed through the "fraud unit" of the insurance billing system, who then handles the claim as though it were fraudulent. From there, it gets bundled with other claims having gone the same route, and goes to a special unit that has connections to the Federal Health Fraud Task Force. Soon, the practitioner gets a visit, not just from a Federal Investigator, but a State Licensing Board Investigator. Why? What has the practitioner done wrong? Nothing, of course. Someone just put him or her on the secret list so that they would be the subject of intense suspicion and scrutiny, constantly.

As I said above, I know how its being done, and by whom. But, I don't have enough information to, yet, prove it in Court. What I need is a related Federal Court case with subpoena power available. If someone has that, I can provide the information on who, what, where, and why, certain things need to be subpoenaed. Why "Federal?" Because the operation is spread over several States.

(6) Blocking health information from the internet

Having trouble finding legitimate research papers that back up the Science of advanced health care? Of course you are. There is a systematic attempt to make those kinds of scientific research NOT available on the internet. I'm not going into detail here, for the investigation of how this works, AND WHO, SPECIFICALLY, is behind it is ongoing. But, it is happening.

MORE:

There is an awful lot of money and power playing in the US healthcare system stakes. The system is badly broken, and there are those who want to keep it that way because, simply, the money flow is tremendous, and a healthy American public is not in the interests of big pharma, and other multi-national groups. Alert, healthy people tend to make reasonable demands of their government.

Our US health care system is broken, and there is a misinformation group, based in New York City, that for a price, will attack anyone, or any company, or group that exist. Just write the checks, and they'll begin. Their customer list is impressive.

Stay tuned...

Tim Bolen - Consumer Advocate. http://www.bolenreport.net/

THE LAST DAYS OF THE QUACKBUSTERS

Opinion by Tim Bolen

I've been following the activities of the "Quackbusters" for about five years, ever since the name Stephen Barrett came up, as a player, against a client of mine in California. I asked the question "why would this group be using a doctor from Pennsylvania, as their witness, when there are 300,000 health professionals in this State?"

Thus began my education.

The "Quackbuster" operation is a conspiracy. It is a propaganda enterprise, one part crackpot, two parts evil. It's sole purpose is to discredit, and suppress, in an "anything goes" attack mode, what is wrongfully named "Alternative Medicine." It has declared war on reality. The conspirators are acting in the interests of, and are being paid, directly and indirectly, by the "conventional" medical-industrial complex.

Millions of health freedom fighters, and members of the public, worldwide, know what I know. Public outrage and reaction is growing. After 25 years of unopposed success, the "Quackbusters" are now in real trouble... "The end" for them, has begun. They, themselves are being hunted.

The "Quackbuster Conspiracy" is in a desperate place now. They know they've lost the war, and are going to pay a terrible price for their actions. The fear is in their eyes...

CRACKPOTS?

Yes. When the self-named "Quackbusters" stumbled around to find a derisive name to call their victims, they picked the word "Quack," without ever bothering to discover it's origins. Its original meaning, from Europe, comes from the term "quacksalver" which was used to describe Dentists who were dumb enough to use mercury (a poison) as fillings for teeth. Look at propagandist, and "Quackbuster" king-pin, Stephen Barrett's website (www.quackwatch.com), and you'll find that HE IS IN FAVOR of mercury (amalgam) tooth fillings. Barrett, his cronies, and minions, are not known to do intelligent research.

EVIL?

Yes. The "Quackbuster Conspiracy" was started shortly after the American Medical Association (AMA) lost the court battle to the Chiropractors in Federal court in 1976. The Federal judge ordered the AMA's covert operation shut down - and leave the Chiropractors alone. The AMA files, library, etc., ended up in Stephen Barrett's 1,800 square foot basement in Allentown, PA. Barrett, and his minions, had the common sense to stay away from criticizing Chiropractors until (I believe) the Federal Judge died.

Federal judges have a way of enforcing their decisions using shackles, Federal Marshals, the federal prison facilities, asset seizure, etc... Even Barrett, in all his incredible arrogance, isn't dumb enough to match wills with a Federal Judge.

In that early, educational case for me in California, Stephen Barrett and two slime-ball investigators from the California Medical Board, had convinced members of the Laguna Beach Police Department that a nutritionist using ozone therapy was "a sex criminal preying on women." Flak-jacketed thugs screwed a gun into Salvatore D'Onofrio's ear, forced him to lie on the ground, and thus began a brutal, anything goes, persecution.

D'Onofrio's attorney was a hiking partner of mine, and told me the story on a ridgeline, seven miles up from a trailhead. I laugh now when I remember my naive response "This can't be happening in America."

Sal D'Onofrio, through his attorney, hired us, at day 43 in solitary confinement in the Orange County Jail. He was in "solitary" because that's what they do with sex criminals. He was in jail because the judge had set bail at $500,000, an amount his supporters couldn't raise. Barrett's minions were ruining D'Onofrio's life in the press.

We organized a bail hearing for day 48 of incarceration, put 62 of D'Onofrio's supporters in the courtroom, LA network television in the jury box, got the front page of the LA Times, etc., etc., etc., - and the judge let D'Onofrio out on his own recognizance. Seven weeks later the prosecutor dropped the charges.

Who are these people that would, so casually, inflict that kind of nightmare on an innocent man?

James Carter, MD's authoritative book "Racketeering In Medicine," published by Hampton Roads, carefully explains the "Quackbuster Conspiracy."

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE?

"Alternative Medicine" is defined as any protocol, action, or therapy that isn't "drugs, radiation, or surgery oriented."

Wrongfully named? Yes. So-called "alternative medicine" is actually the health choice of planet earth. It is a combination of every good health idea invented by mankind, in every country and culture on this planet. There is nothing "alternative" about it. Labeling planet earth's health choice as "alternative" is, and was, a propaganda device.

North Americans have overwhelmingly (by their purchases) made "Alternative Medicine" the "health choice of the people" - for the best of reasons: it works better than allopathic, it "removes the cause" rather than "treating the symptoms," it is cost effective, it makes people feel better and think clearer, and it doesn't have all those horrible effects, and side effects, of invasive surgery or prescription drugs.

More than half of the US health dollar in 1999 was spent on "Alternative Medicine" and it was all out-of-pocket. Conventional medicine is being paid for, and is surviving, only because insurance and Medicare pay for it - the public won't spend an out-of-pocket nickel on it.

Alternative Medicine philosophies fit the "American (I'll make my own decisions)" way of thinking. Allopathic Medicine philosophies fit the "Germanic (follow my orders)" way. "Alternative Medicine" is for people who think for themselves - Americans.

The door to real "alternatives" is barely open. The future of medicine is right in front of us - it isn't in pharmaceuticals - it is in nutrition, body cleansing, prevention, oxygen therapies and energy medicine - all of which are constantly targeted by the sleaziest of the "Quackbuster" soldiers.

THE "QUACKBUSTER" STRONGHOLD...

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), is a vital Medical Doctor (MD) control point. It is the trade organization of all 50 State's Medical Boards. The FSMB is the organization that writes the policy manuals, and provides training for, Medical Board investigators and prosecutors all over the United States. The FSMB is the "Quackbuster" police agency.

The "Quackbusters" use the FSMB to persecute two groups (1) "Alternative Practitioners" within the MD ranks (they treat them like traitors), and (2) non-licensed alternative health professionals (they charge them with "practicing medicine without a license").

The "Quackbusters" through the FSMB, have been able to change the focus of prosecutions against "bad doctors." They define "bad doctors" as those that use alternative modalities - and maximum penalties are exacted. We have seen in California, that real "bad doctors," those that kill their patients, actually get off with a slap-on-the-hand by using the defense "but I prescribed a lot of drugs." State medical Boards are not serving the needs of "we the people," they are serving the needs of the "Quackbusters," and their paymasters.

Medical Board prosecutions are funded by the States - Barrett, and his slime artists, don't have to spend a dime... I couldn't even count the number of "alternative medicine" practitioners currently under persecution from mis-informed Medical Board investigators and prosecutors. The damage done to Americans from this attack is incalculable...

BARRETT'S DUBIOUS CLAIMS ABOUT WHAT "HEALTH FRAUD" REALLY IS...

The US government has indicated that "Health Fraud" is a major problem in the United States Health Care system. Statistics show that "conventional medicine" rips off the American public significantly each year in bogus billings, false claims, unnecessary procedures and tests, etc...

Attorney General Janet Reno has a special nationwide "Health Fraud Prosecution Unit" to deal with this massive problem. The prosecutions are against mega-greedy hospitals, HMOs, ambulance companies, nursing facilities, etc. - all "Conventional" medical units - not "Alternative."

But, if you peruse Stephen Barrett's (don't call him doctor, he's not licensed) website, you get the impression that "allopaths" are to be classified somewhere next to archangels - and "alternatives" are snake-oil salesmen, akin to the devil's minions. Barrett clearly defines, in smirky arrogance, health fraud as "alternative medicine."

Huh?

Doesn't Barrett read national statistics on health fraud? Of course he does - he just ignores them. And "Barrett's parrots" at the FSMB mimic their supreme commander's every word in their policy statements. Anyone can read FSMB policy statements, in their entirety, on the web. Just go to http://www.fsmb.org
and start reading. They, like Barrett, define "health fraud" as "alternative medicine," and fail to even mention the real national "health fraud" statistics.

WHY THE FEAR IN THEIR EYES?

Three Reasons: Exposure, ridicule, and public rage.

(1). EXPOSURE - Health Freedom Fighters, tired of the persecutions, and outnumbering the "Quackbusters" 100,000 to 1, are now watching Barrett and his soldiers carefully. They've decided to put a stop to Barrett and company. Lists are being made of who the "Quackbuster Conspirators" are, what their function is, where they fit into the conspiracy, who they work for, who their associates are, where they live, and what their probable motives are. Their daily activities, as "Quackbusters," are being monitored, and documented.

Health leaders consider Barrett, and company, to be running a subversive organization working against the interests of America.

(2). RIDICULE - Examination of Barrett's operation proves that the "Quackbusters" are a paper tiger. They are a construction with a 25 year old modus operandi. Their membership is small, they have an even smaller core group, the industry is turning its back on their extremism, and their leadership "public presence" is laughable. Their support network could best be described as "pea-brained."

Their "annual meeting" for the Conspiracy was held in a Super 8 motel in Missouri - 25 stalwarts attended from, at least, six different plotter groups. Not very impressive.

"Bizarre" Stephen Barrett, his cronies and minions, even labeled two time Nobel Prize Winner Linus Pauling as a "Quack." The American public, in a consumer-driven movement, is rejecting, with laughter and ridicule, Barrett and company's ludicrous assertions - hence the term "Quackpot" is now used, commonly, to describe the self-named "Quackbusters."

(3). PUBLIC RAGE - The American public is just now realizing two things (a) that a good many of those "alternative" things being blocked, and suppressed, have been around for a long while - but not available to them because of the conspiracy, and (b) that the system to find and put new things in place is corrupt - and works against Americans. Every "cure" since polio has been suppressed, and the proponents of those cures, reviled by the "Quackbuster Conspirators."

Statistics show that every one of those "cures" worked to some extent...

Barrett, his cronies, minions, and henchmen, have every reason to fear public rage. Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev said it best. He said, "We would never invade America. For every American has a gun..."

"You mean my mother didn't have to die that horribly, or even die at all?" is a question more, and more Americans are asking...
Dr. Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch Exposed In Court Cases

At trial, under a heated cross-examination by Negrete, Barrett conceded that he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the certification exam.

This was a major revelation since Barrett had provided supposed expert testimony as a psychiatrist and had testified in numerous court cases. Barrett also had said that he was a legal expert even though he had no formal legal training.

The most damning testimony before the jury, under the intense cross-examination by Negrete, was that Barrett had filed similar defamation lawsuits against almost 40 people across the country within the past few years and had not won one single one at trial.

During the course of his examination, Barrett also had to concede his ties to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

P R E S S R E L E A S E

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: October 13, 2005

Location: Allentown, Pennsylvania

Court Case: Stephen Barrett, M.D. vs. Tedd Koren, D.C. and Koren
Publications, Inc.
Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County for the State of Pennsylvania
Court Case No.: 2002-C-1837
Contact: Carlos F. Negrete
LAW OFFICES OF CARLOS F. NEGRETE
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Phone: 949.493.8115
Fax: 949.493.8170
email: [email protected]
[email protected]
URL: http://www.healthfreedomlaw.com

http://www.negretelaw.com


Dr. Tedd Koren, DC.
Phone: 800.537.3001
267.498.0071 Fax: 267.498.0078
URL: http://www.korenpublications.com


Subject: Quackwatch Founder Stephen Barrett loses Major Defamation trial in Hometown

In a stunning development, Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania Judge J. Brian Johnson on Thursday, October 13, 2005, tossed out nationally known self-proclaimed 'consumer medical advocate' Stephen Barrett's defamation lawsuit just minutes before it was going to be considered by a local jury.

The lawsuit, filed in August 2002, against also nationally known Pennsylvania chiropractor, lecturer, researcher and publisher, Dr. Tedd Koren sought unspecified damages against Koren and his company, Koren Publications, Inc. for statements that he wrote in his newsletter in 2001 about Barrett.

Barrett, a long-time nemesis of chiropractic, filed the lawsuit because of Koren's publication that Barrett was 'licensed' and in trouble because of a $10 million lawsuit and because Barrett was called a 'Quackpot'.

In his defense, Koren contended that the statements were true and not defamatory and that he had a First Amendment right to write them in his newsletter.

Thursday's ruling by Judge Johnson represented a major reversal of the finding of an arbitration in August 2004 wherein a panel of three local private attorneys reviewing the case had found in favor of Barrett and awarded Barrett $16,500 in damages and that Koren should publish a retraction. That award was appealed by Koren.

Dr. Koren was represented by well-known health freedom San Juan Capistrano, California, attorney Carlos F. Negrete for trial and Washington, D.C. attorney James Turner of Swankin & Turner. Easton, Pennsylvania attorney Christopher Reid of Laub, Seidel, Cohen, Hof & Reid served as local counsel for the team and was co-counsel for the trial along with Negrete.

Turner and Negrete have been well known for their representation of clients in the health food, supplement and vitamin industries as well as representing naturopaths, nurses, dentists, physicians, chiropractors and complimentary therapists across the country.

Turner's experience dates back the 1960s when he joined consumer advocate Ralph Nader and was one of the groundbreaking Nader's Raiders that made consumer advocacy popular and brought about significant changes in manufacturing and consumer protection.

In making the ruling to throw out the case, Judge Johnson granted a rare directed verdict to the jury finding there was insufficient evidence to support Barrett's claims. Judge Johnson indicated that this case was one of those rare times where such a motion was appropriate.

Barrett operates the web site http://www.quackwatch.org
, http://www.chirobase.org
and 20 other web sites and has been a long time critic of chiropractic calling much of it"quackery".

The victory to chiropractor Koren comes almost 18 years to the date that chiropractors received national attention with their victory against the American Medical Association (AMA) by obtaining an injunction against the AMA from an Illinois federal judge for engaging in illegal boycotting of doctors chiropractic in Wilk et al vs. AMA.

Barrett had been an outspoken supporter of the AMA at the same time that Koren had been a vocal advocate that the AMA has, in recent years, violated the spirit of the federal judge's order.

After the ruling, Koren proclaimed that: I am overjoyed and enthusiastic that this nightmare is over and that the science, art and philosophy of chiropractic and the work of all of my colleagues have been vindicated.

"This case took a toll on my life and family, but I knew that I was right in publishing the truth."

Dr. Barrett has no right to misinform the public about chiropractic and other natural healing arts or to try to silence anyone who criticizes him or tell consumers that he is not what he purports to be.

"I believe that it is not right to be silent when there is a duty to inform the public and let the truth be told."

For years, Barrett has touted himself as a medical expert on 'quackery' in healthcare and has assisted in dozens of court cases as an expert. He also was called upon by the FDA, FTC and other governmental agencies for his purported expertise.

He was the subject of many magazine interviews, including Time Magazine and featured on television interviews on ABC's 20/20, NBC's Today Show and PBS.

He has gained media fame by his outspoken vocal disgust and impatience over natural or non-medical healthcare, including his criticisms of two time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling.

Dr. Tedd Koren is known for his writings and lectures on chiropractic science, research, philosophy, and chiropractic patient adjusting.

He is known for his Koren Publications chiropractic patient education brochures, posters, booklets, books and other products that are used in chiropractors' offices throughout the United States and around the world.

Dr. Koren also co-founded a chiropractic college, is on the extension faculty of two chiropractic colleges, is published in chiropractic and bio-medical journals and has received numerous awards in his field. His web sites include http://www.korenpublications.com
and http://www.teddkorenseminars.com


In his 2001 newsletter, Koren published articles that revealed that even though he touted himself as a medical expert, Barrett had not been a licensed physician since the early 1990s.

He also published that Barrett had been the subject of a $10 million racketeering lawsuit [that had been withdrawn] and called him a 'quackpot' for the contradiction of his website and lack of credentials.

Koren's trial attorney, Carlos F. Negrete of San Juan Capistrano, California, is known for his defense of physicians, chiropractors, dentists, clinics and natural heath providers who practice what is known as complimentary & alternative medicine and holistic healthcare. Negrete has also handled groundbreaking cases against HMOs in California and has represented many celebrities and politicians.

At trial, under a heated cross-examination by Negrete, Barrett conceded that he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the certification exam.

This was a major revelation since Barrett had provided supposed expert testimony as a psychiatrist and had testified in numerous court cases.

Barrett also had said that he was a legal expert even though he had no formal legal training.

The most damming testimony before the jury, under the intense cross-examination by Negrete, was that Barrett had filed similar defamation lawsuits against almost 40 people across the country within the past few years and had not won one single one at trial.

During the course of his examination, Barrett also had to concede his ties to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

This was not the first time that Negrete was a trial attorney in a Barrett case. He also represented anti-fluoridation advocate Darlene Sherrell in a federal lawsuit filed in Eugene, Oregon by Barrett.

Barrett also lost in trial of that case. Negrete also represented Robert King of King Bio Natural Medicine of North Carolina and MediaPower (manufacturers of CalMax and Nu-Zymes) of Maine in cases filed by an organization led by Barrett, which were lost by Barrett's organization.

Barrett has also filed a lawsuit against Negrete and his client Dr. Hulda Clark (author of The Cure For All Diseases and The Cure for All Cancers) , which is now pending and awaiting trial in San Diego, California federal court.

After the Koren trial, Negrete stated: "The de-bunker has been de-bunked. I am pleased and satisfied with this outcome for Dr. Koren and am proud that Dr. Koren did not succumb to the pressures of the intimidation of Barrett's legal wrangling. Not everyone can stand up to someone as well known as Barrett."

Negrete continued, "It is another great day for health freedom and alternative healthcare around the world. I am especially pleased that this most important victory was in Barrett's own hometown. It just goes to show you that there is justice anywhere, even when you are a visitor challenging the home team.

Barrett is a shill for the medical and pharmaceutical cartels and his bully tactics and unjustified discrediting of leading innovators, scientists and health practitioners should not be tolerated."

Negrete said, "You can be assured that our legal team will be wherever health freedom advocates and practitioners are being persecuted. The tide is now turning and people are no long accepting that synthetic drugs are the only form of treatment are the only way to address health concerns.

"Every day, consumers are becoming more educated about the benefits of holistic and alternative methods. This is something that the medical establishment obviously fears and wants to crush with false propaganda."

Koren said that he would now go back to his home in Pennsylvania to spend more time with his family and continue to write, research, and lecture on topics concerning chiropractic and healthcare and the experiences he has gained from this precedent setting legal battle.

He plans to give new lectures to chiropractors across the country who are under attack or have been subjected to governmental actions.

He also announced that he is forming a new organization aimed at informing and assisting chiropractors across the country.

The trial started on Monday, October 10, 2005 and ended on October 13, 2005 Barrett was represented by local Allentown attorney, Richard Orloski.
QUACKWATCH'S BARRETT / NCAHF LOSE ALL APPEALS TO HOMEOPATHS ...

Barrett called "biased and unworthy of credibility", Jan 2007

Note from Ilena Rosenthal: Barrett's team of terrorists are working overtime to fill Usenet with lies about targets of the quackbuster regime. This is extremely relevant to their means of doing business ... they file lawsuits and then hire themselves as "experts" and pay themselves big $$$$ ... luckily all Judges saw through them.

More at: http://www.BreastImplantAwareness.org/QuackWatchWatch.htm


CALIFORNIA COURT OF APPEAL HANDS DOWN LANDMARK RULING

IN FAVOR OF HOMEOPATHY - BARRETT DEFEATED ONCE AGAIN!

On April 22, 2003, the California Court of Appeals handed down a far reaching landmark decision in favor of homeopathy and against the National Council Against Health Fraud (Stephen Barrett, M.D.1 was one of the two main self-described "expert" witnesses on the side of NCAHF).

NCAHF(National Council Against Health Fraud, which professes itself to be a "consumer watchdog" against what it calls as health "quackery") filed a lawsuit on February 16, 2001, as a representative of California Consumers, against King Bio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its president Dr. Frank J. King, Jr., N.D., D.C., a leading manufacturer and distributor of homeopathic products.

The lawsuit accused Dr. King and King Bio of false and misleading advertisement and unfair competition under the California Business & Professions Code. It was the first case of this type to go all the way to trial with respect to homeopathy. In the lawsuit, Barrett and NCAHF challenged homeopathy by proceeding on the theory that there is no scientific basis for the advertised efficacy of King Bio's products and the King Bio's products were "drugs."

Dr. King has been an active contributor to the national chiropractic community since 1979. He is the Founder and President of King Bio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a registered homeopathic manufacturing company dedicated to the research, development, promotion and education of the many benefits of homeopathy. Dr. King is also a member of the prestigious Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia Convention of the United States (HPCUS). The HPCUS works directly with the FDA as a governing authority of homeopathy in the United States.

For more information on King Bio and Dr. Frank King, you can refer to http://www.kingbio.com
.

Barrett and NCAHF are outspoken critics of homeopathic medicine calling it "worthless" and unproven. Barrett has recently launched a web site to publicly discredit homeopathy. See http://www.homeowatch.org
. Despite Barrett's dubious claims against homeopathy, he has no formal training or scientific expertise in the Science of homeopathy.

King Bio, like many other homeopathic and supplement companies targeted by NCAHF in similar lawsuits, refused to capitulate to any sort of settlement with Barrett and NCAHF. Instead, Dr. King decided to take the lead and defend his own integrity and that of his company by deciding to "have his day in court" and taking the case to trail.

The trial took place on October, 2001 in Los Angeles, California. The Law Offices of Carlos F. Negrete and Carlos F. Negrete provided support and assistance for the trial.

Under cross-examination of NCAHF's witnesses at the trial, it was revealed that NCAHF had never tested any of the Dr. King products or even conducted any sort of scientific study. Something which Barrett and NCAHF have steadfastly argued should be performed by all supplement manufacturers and alternative therapists if they are to be recognized by the likes of NCAHF and Barrett.

After NCAHF presented its case with little or no real evidence, Dr. King's attorneys requested that the court end the case and rule in its favor. The trial court sided with Dr. King and awarded a judgment in favor of King Bio and Dr. King. NCAHF's case was so weak and lacking of evidence that Dr. King and King Bio did not even have to present it full case in defense before the judge ruled.

Despite the overwhelming defeat at trial, NCAHF decided to challenge the judge's decision and filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal in California.

During the appeal process, NCAHF's attorney, Morse Mehrban, was joined by another purported "consumer watchdog" attorney who fights against alternative therapies and supplements, Mark Boling, on behalf of a little known organization called Consumer Justice Center ("CJC"). CJC filed a "friend of the court brief" in support of NCAHF's appeal.

NCAHF and CJC argued that the trial court was wrong and that existing law should be changed to allow plaintiffs, such as NCAHF, to bring lawsuits with little or no evidence against a targeted company and, thereafter, force the targeted company to defend itself on the basis of an accusation alone. The Court of appeal was not persuaded that such a change in law was appropriate or logical.

The Law Offices of Carlos F. Negrete represented Dr. King and King Bio in the appeal and argued that the trial court correctly found in favor of Dr. King and King Bio and that it was not proper under California law or the United States Constitution that a plaintiff, such as NCAHF, could irresponsibly file a lawsuit without any evidence against a product and its manufacturer. Negrete argued that it would be irresponsible and against free enterprise to allow an individual to file a lawsuit without any evidence of wrongdoing with just a couple of hundred dollars in a filing fee, thereby subjecting a victim defendant to spend as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars in defense costs. All because someone could point their finger at what they did not understand or believe in.

In its Opinion, the Court of Appeals agreed with King and Negrete. Specifically, the Court of Appeals found that NCAHF "presented no evidence that King Bio's products were not safe and effective, relying instead on a general attack on homeopathy, made by witnesses who had no knowledge of, or experience with, King Bio's products, and who were found to be biased and unworthy of credibility" And, in an more remarkable validation, the Court of Appeals ordered that their Opinion be "published" as a precedent setting case in the official reports of the State of California. This is the first opinion of its kind as to homeopathy and the issues raised during the appeal. It will undoubtedly be discussed by many legal scholars and cited in cases to follow in the future.

The Law Offices of Carlos F. Negrete congratulates Dr. Frank King, Jr. for his efforts, dedication and perseverance in defending the advancement homeopathy and alternative therapies and it is proud to have participated in yet another case defending health freedom.

______________________
1. Stephen Barrett, even though he still uses the professional title "Dr.," surrendered his medical license in the early 1990s. He has not practiced medicine since that time. Barrett operates the web site known as http://www.quackwatch.com
, http://www.homeowatch.org
and http://www.ncahf.com
.

(NCAHF is a defunct corporation, suspended by the State of
California.)
Quackpot Menace MASHED in California...

Opinion by Tim Bolen

California is the newest, and biggest, victory for Americans against the quackbuster Conspiracy (the quackpot menace).
California, as it does in many social issues, will, in this issue, begin the domino effect across America.

The "quackbusters" have lost... it's just a matter of time.

Why? Because quackbuster strategies are back-firing, and their tactics have been successfully turned against them. And, Health Freedom Fighters outnumber them 100,000 to 1.

How? De-licensed MD Stephen Barrett, chief propagandist for the "quackbuster" movement in North America, operates his ludicrous website http://www.quackwatch.com,
hoping that there are still members of the public dumb enough to believe, and take his message seriously. Fewer, and fewer Americans are taken in by Barrett's drivel.

Barrett, himself, is now following the path of one of his lieutenants, Terry Polevoy of Ontario, Canada, into RIDICULE. Polevoy, a pimple doctor turned "Alternative Medicine Critic," and Polevoy's virulent website http://www.healthwatcher.net"
was
recently used by Canadian Health Freedom Fighters as "the epitome of the quackbuster movement," to successfully convince the Ontario government to pass their Health Freedom Act. It passed UNANIMOUSLY.

Barrett, and his website, are now suffering the same finger-pointing as Polevoy, US nationwide. In California, for
instance, Health Freedom activists point legislators towards Barrett's website, and the results aren't following Barrett's hopes and intentions. In fact, just the opposite.

Polevoy's photograph was circulated at a Toronto health expo recently, where security personnel were ready to remove him from the event. Polevoy may be best known in Canada for his "stalking" of Canadian radio personality Christine McPhee, until police visited him at his home late one night.

THE CALIFORNIA VICTORY...

The quackbuster influence in California has all but been destroyed. California, the seventh largest stand-alone economy on planet earth is moving, through it's governing body, to make California THE LEADER in leading-edge health care. And here's how it's happening...

(1). Senate Bill 2100 in California, passed last year, forced the California Medical Board to form a committee and begin a two year study of Alternative Medicine under VERY SPECIFIC guidelines. Despite an early attempt by quackbuster minions to sabotage the study, it is on track and moving in a VERY positive direction. America can thank health activist Frank Cuny ([email protected]) for his actions in getting the bill passed, his constant vigilance, and behind-the-scenes prodding on SB2100's path over the next two years.

(2). Proposed Senate Bill 417, just introduced, is a $3,000,000 subsidy to study alternative cancer treatments for the purpose of introducing, and approving treatments within the state. This bill was spurred by the embarrasingly good cancer recovery statistics coming out of the Mexican Cancer Treatment Centers, a good many of which are located in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the border from San Diego. Too many Californians, told by their their oncologists "there is nothing more we can do - close out your affairs," are returning to their homes, from Mexico, cancer-free.

An entire "self-health" movement has sprung up world-wide because of Research Scientist Hulda Clark s' books (ie; The Cure For All Cancers, etc.) teaching people how to remove toxins and parasites from their bodies to improve their chances against diseases, and improve their over-all health. Clark success "testimonials" are too numerous to deny. Clark's research facility is in Mexico, while her books are published in California. Clark is just one, among many, researchers breaking out of traditional paths heading towards leading-edge health protocols.

California leaders are begining to recognize that there are cancer protocols available that are not mainstream, but that work very well. And we shouldn't have to go to Mexico to get them.

(3). Proposed AB 1565, just introduced, will outlaw toxic waste forms of flouride in California drinking water.

(4). Proposed Senate Bill 577 - The State Department of Health Services shall conduct a study based on existing literature, information, and data on the scope of complementary medicine in California. The study shall include: (1) A report on the types of complementary medicine therapies available in the state. (2) A report on existing regulation of complementary medicine and complementary medicine practitioners. (3) An evaluation of options for oversight of the complementary medicine industry in order to protect providers and consumers. (4) A report recommending ways to promote consumer access to a broad range of healing and health care information. The study shall be
submitted to the Legislature no later than October 1, 2002.

(5). The California Medical Board, who's 18 appointed members will in June 2001, have been completely replaced by Governor Gray Davis IS UNDER COMPLETE REVISION. The quackbuster influenced board is GONE. A new Medical Director, Neil D. Kohatsu, MD, MPH has been hired and he is in the process of bringing in all new medical "expert reviewers." He is actively looking for "alternative practitioners" as reviewers.

(6). The sheer demand for better health care in California is forcing the issue. Californians, myself included, want the best health care available for ourselves and our loved ones, and WE WANT IT RIGHT NOW. In California, that translates to mean "WE INTEND TO HAVE IT RIGHT NOW." That situation doesn't bode well for Barrett and his ilk.

(7). And, there's more coming... Much more. In California, it is not a good idea to stand on the freeway, and try to block traffic... You could get mashed.

Tim Bolen
JuriMed - Public Relations and Research Group
[email protected]
Chiropractors Claim Court Victory Against Infamous 'Quackbuster', Stephen Barrett

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif., June 14 PRNewswire-USNewswire - In a strongly worded opinion, the Appeals Court for the State of Pennsylvania ruled against Stephen Barrett, a long-time critic of chiropractic and alternative health care. In an action that chiropractors see as a major setback for their nemesis, the judge refused to overturn a 2005 decision against Barrett.

The earlier lawsuit was won by chiropractor Tedd Koren, DC, whose company markets chiropractic educational pamphlets that Barrett had harshly criticized.

In his newsletter, Dr. Koren referred to the self-proclaimed "Quackbuster" as a "Quackpot" and commented that Barrett was "de-licensed," and "in trouble." Barrett sued Koren for defamation and lost the case.

Barrett, who represents himself as an expert on health care quackery, has appeared as a medical expert in numerous court cases and claims the FDA, FTC and other governmental agencies have consulted him on health care issues. He is noted for his outspoken opposition to and criticism of non-medical health care approaches, most of which he labels "quackery." His targets have included chiropractic, homeopathy, naturopathy, and even two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling.

Heading the legal team for the original Koren case and appeal was Carlos Negrete, who serves as legal counsel for the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA).

"This is a great victory for the chiropractic profession," Koren stated after the Pennsylvania Appellate Court decision was announced. "Once again, chiropractors across the country have been vindicated and exposed the specious and evil attacks by someone who has no knowledge or expertise in our field."

Negrete specializes in representing alternative health care providers who are targeted by advocates of the medical and pharmaceutical industries. His previous court victories have positioned him as the premier "health freedom" attorney in the US.

During heated and often dramatic courtroom proceedings, Negrete pointed out many of the questionable statements Barrett includes on his websites attacking chiropractic, as well as facts about Barrett's own credentials that shocked even his supporters. Under Negrete's intense cross-examination, Barrett admitted that he had not been a licensed physician for more than a decade and had failed the neurological exam, preventing him from being certified as a specialist. Negrete demonstrated that, despite his claims, Barrett had no real expertise in any medical field.

Barrett also admitted, under questioning, that he misrepresented himself as a licensed physician in a previous court case.

"These revelations cast serious doubts about Barrett's credibility and integrity and were major factors in the judge's decision," Negrete stated.

Calling the case a "landmark decision" for chiropractors and alternative care providers, Negrete noted that "Barrett has made a career out of attacking core chiropractic values, specifically subluxation, with no scientific basis for his contentions. This case clearly shows that his opinions about chiropractic or other health care options are irrelevant."

WCA President Terry A. Rondberg, DC, agreed with Negrete. "This is a turning point not only for Barrett, but for all unscientific and uninformed opponents who seek to impose the medical monopoly on the public. People around the world deserve freedom of choice in health care and need valid, unbiased and truthful information on all options available to them. Thanks in great part to the WCA legal counsel, Carlos Negrete, they now have a better chance of getting both."

The World Chiropractic Alliance - an international organization representing doctors of chiropractic - promotes traditional, drug-free and non-invasive chiropractic to correct vertebral subluxations. The WCA is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information and publishes the peer-reviewed chiropractic research journal, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. For more information, contact the WCA at 800-347-1011 or http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org.


SOURCE World Chiropractic Alliance
Stephen Barrett - Professional Crackpot...

The Internet needs health information it can trust. Stephen Barrett doesn't provide it...

Barrett is one of those people whose ambitions and opinions of himself far exceeds his abilities. Without ANY qualifications he has set himself up as an expert in just about everything having to do with health care - and more.

And this from a man who is a professional failure.

Records show that Barrett never achieved any success in the medical profession. His claim to being a "retired Psychiatrist" is laughable. He is, in fact, a "failed Psychiatrist," and a "failed MD."

The Psychiatric profession rejected Barrett years ago, for Barrett could NOT pass the examinations necessary to become "Board Certified." Which, is no doubt why Barrett was, throughout his career, relegated to lower level "part time" positions.

Barrett, we know, was forced to give up his medical license in Pennsylvania in 1993 when his "part-time" employment at the State Mental Hospital was terminated, and he had so few (nine) private patients during his last five years of practice, that he couldn't afford the Malpractice Insurance premiums Pennsylvania requires.

In a job market in the United States, where there is a "doctor shortage," Stephen Barrett, after his termination by the State mental Hospital, couldn't find employment. He was in his mid-50s at the time. He should have been at the top of his craft - yet, apparently, he couldn't find work.

It is obvious, that, after one humiliation after another, in 1993 Barrett simply gave up his medical aspirations, turned in his MD license, and retreated, in bitterness and frustration, to his basement.

It was in that basement, where Barrett took up "quackbusting" - which, in reality, means that Barrett attacks "cutting-edge" health professionals and paradigms - those that ARE achieving success in their segment of health care.

And there, in "quackbusting" is where Barrett finally found the attention and recognition he seems to crave - for, a while, that is, until three California Judges, in a PUBLISHED Appeals Court decision, took a HARD look at Barrett's activities, and declared him "biased, and unworthy of credibility."

Bitterness against successful health professionals is Barrett's hallmark. To him they're all "quacks." In this, his essays are repetitive and pedestrian.

Barrett, in his writings, says the same things, the same way, every time - change the victim and the subject, and still you yawn your way through his offerings. It's like he's filling out a form somebody gave him...

Take an overactive self importance, couple it with glaring failure and rejection in his chosen profession, add a cup of molten hatred for those that do succeed, pop it in the oven - and out comes Stephen Barrett - self-styled "expert in everything."

Barrett, we know, along with his website, is currently named, among other things, in a racketeering (RICO) case in Federal Court in Colorado.

He's also being sued for his nefarious activities in Ontario, Canada.

Barrett, in the Canadian case, has formally admitted, according to Canadian law, to a number of situations put to him by the Plaintiff, including:

"The sole purpose of the activities of Barrett & Baratz are to discredit and cause damage and harm to health care practitioners, businesses that make alternative health therapies or products available, and advocates of non-allopathic therapies and health freedom."

"Barrett has interfered with the civil rights of numerous Americans, in his efforts to have his critics silenced."

"Barrett has strategically orchestrated the filing of legal actions in improper jurisdictions for the purpose of frustrating the victims of such lawsuits and increasing his victims costs."

"Barrett failed the exams he was required to pass to become a Board Certified Medical Doctor."
Quackwatch Founder Stephen Barrett Loses Major Defamation trial in Hometown

In a stunning development, Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania Judge J. Brian Johnson on Thursday, October 13, 2005, tossed out nationally known self-proclaimed “consumer medical advocate� Stephen Barrett’s defamation lawsuit just minutes before it was going to be considered by a local jury.

The lawsuit, filed in August 2002, against also nationally known Pennsylvania chiropractor, lecturer, researcher and publisher, Dr. Tedd Koren sought unspecified damages against Koren and his company, Koren Publications, Inc. for statements that he wrote in his newsletter in 2001 about Barrett. Barrett, a long-time nemesis of chiropractic, filed the lawsuit because of Koren’s publication that Barrett was “de-licensed� and “in trouble because of a $10 million lawsuit,� and in addition, because Barrett was called a “Quackpot.� In his defense, Koren contended that the statements were true and not defamatory and that he had a First Amendment right to write them in his newsletter.

Thursday’s ruling by Judge Johnson represented a major reversal of the finding of an arbitration panel in August 2004 wherein the panel consisting of three local private attorneys reviewing the case had found in favor of Barrett and awarded Barrett $16,500 in damages and that Koren should publish a retraction. Koren appealed that award.

Dr. Koren was represented by well-known health freedom San Juan Capistrano, CA, attorney Carlos F. Negrete for trial and Washington, D.C. attorney James Turner of Swankin & Turner. Easton, PA, attorney Christopher Reid of Laub, Seidel, Cohen, Hof & Reid served as local counsel for the legal team and co-counsel for the trial along with Negrete. Turner and Negrete have been well-known for their representation of clients in the health food, supplement and vitamin industries, as well as representing naturopaths, nurses, dentists, physicians, chiropractors and complimentary therapists across the country. Turner’s experience dates back to the 1960s when he joined consumer advocate Ralph Nader and was one of the groundbreaking Nader’s Raiders that made consumer advocacy popular, and which brought significant changes in manufacturing and consumer protection. The Nader’s Raders’ campaigns received worldwide attention.

In making the ruling to throw out the case, Judge Johnson granted a rare directed verdict to the jury finding there was insufficient evidence to support Barrett’s claims. Judge Johnson indicated that this case was one of those “rare times� where such a motion was appropriate.

Barrett operates the web site http://www.quackwatch.org
, http://www.chirobase.org
and 20 other web sites and has been a long time critic of chiropractic calling much of it “quackery.� The victory to chiropractor Koren comes almost 18 years to the date that chiropractors received national attention with their victory against the American Medical Association (AMA) by obtaining an injunction against the AMA from an Illinois federal judge for engaging in illegal boycotting of doctors of chiropractic in Wilk et al vs. AMA. Barrett had been an outspoken supporter of the AMA at the same time that Koren had been a vocal advocate that the AMA has, in recent years, violated the spirit of the federal judge’s order.

After the ruling, Koren proclaimed: “I am overjoyed and enthusiastic that this nightmare is over and that the science, art and philosophy of chiropractic and the work of all of my colleagues have been vindicated. This case took a toll on my life and family, but I knew that I was right in publishing the truth. Dr. Barrett has no right to misinform the public about chiropractic and other natural healing arts or to try to silence anyone who criticizes him or tell consumers that he is not what he purports to be. I believe that it is not right to be silent when there is a duty to inform the public and let the truth be told.�

For years, Barrett has touted himself as a “medical expert� on “quackery� in healthcare and has assisted in dozens of court cases as an expert. Also, Barrett has testified that was called upon by the FDA, FTC and other governmental agencies for his purported expertise. He was the subject of many magazine interviews, including Time Magazine and featured on television interviews on ABC’s 20/20, NBC’s Today Show and PBS. He has gained media fame by his outspoken vocal disgust and impatience over natural or non-medical healthcare, including his criticisms of two time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling.

Dr. Tedd Koren is known for his writings and lectures on chiropractic science, research, philosophy and chiropractic patient adjusting. He is known for his Koren Publications chiropractic patient education brochures, posters, booklets, books and other products that are used in chiropractors’ offices throughout the United States and around the world. Dr. Koren also co-founded a chiropractic college, is on the extension faculty of two chiropractic colleges, is published in chiropractic and bio-medical journals, and has received numerous awards in his field. His web sites include http://www.korenpublications.com
and http://www.teddkorenseminars.com.


In his 2001 newsletter, Koren published articles that revealed that even though Barrett had touted himself as a medical expert, he had not been a licensed physician since the early 1990s. Koren also published that Barrett had been the subject of a $10 million racketeering lawsuit [that had been withdrawn] and called him a “quackpot� for the contradiction of his web site and lack of credentials.

Koren’s trial attorney, Carlos F. Negrete of San Juan Capistrano, CA, is known for his defense of physicians, chiropractors, dentists, clinics and natural heath providers who practice what is known as integrated, complimentary & alternative medicine and holistic healthcare. Negrete has also handled groundbreaking cases against HMOs in California and has represented many celebrities, corporations and politicians.

At trial, under a heated cross-examination by Negrete, Barrett conceded that he was not a Medical Board Certified psychiatrist because he had failed the certification exam. This was a major revelation since Barrett had provided supposed “expert testimony� as a psychiatrist and had testified in numerous court cases as such. Also, Barrett had said that he was a “legal expert� even though he had no formal legal training.

The most damning testimony before the jury, under the intense cross-examination by Negrete, was that Barrett had filed similar defamation lawsuits against almost 40 people across the country within the past few years and had not won one single one at trial. During the course of his examination, Barrett also had to concede his ties to the AMA, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

This was not the first time that Negrete was a trial attorney in a Barrett case. He also represented anti-fluoridation advocate Darlene Sherrell in a federal lawsuit filed in Eugene, Oregon by Barrett. Barrett also lost in trial of that case. In addition, Negrete represented Dr. Frank J. King, Jr. ND, DC of King Bio Natural Medicine of North Carolina and MediaPower (manufacturers of CalMax and Nu-Zymes) of Maine in cases filed by an organization led by Barrett, which were also lost by Barrett’s organization. Barrett has also filed a lawsuit against Negrete and his client Dr. Hulda Clark (author of The Cure For All Diseases and The Cure for All Cancers), which is now pending and awaiting trial in San Diego, California federal court.

After the Koren trial, Negrete stated: “The de-bunker has been de-bunked. I am pleased and satisfied with this outcome for Dr. Koren and am proud that Dr. Koren did not succumb to the pressures of the intimidation of Barrett’s legal wrangling. Not everyone can stand up to someone as well known as Barrett.�

Negrete continued, “It is another great day for health freedom and alternative healthcare around the world. I am especially pleased that this most important victory was in Barrett’s own hometown. It just goes to show you that there is justice anywhere, even when you are a visitor challenging the home team. Barrett acts like a shill for the medical and pharmaceutical cartels and his bully tactics and unjustified discrediting of leading innovators, scientists and health practitioners should not be tolerated.�

Negrete proclaimed “You can be assured that our legal team will be wherever health freedom advocates and practitioners are being persecuted. The tide is now turning and people are no longer accepting that synthetic drugs are the only way to address health concerns. Every day, consumers are becoming more educated about the benefits of holistic and alternative methods. This is something that the medical establishment obviously fears and wants to crush with false propaganda.�

Koren said that he would now go back to his home in Pennsylvania to spend more time with his family and continue to write, research and lecture on topics concerning chiropractic and healthcare and the experiences he has gained from this precedent setting legal battle. He plans to give new lectures to chiropractors across the country that are under attack or have been subjected to governmental actions. He also announced that he is forming a new organization aimed at informing and assisting chiropractors across the country.

The trial started on Monday, October 10, 2005 and ended on October 13, 2005. Barrett was represented by local Allentown attorney, Richard Orloski.

QuackPotWatch.com