Quackwatch and Stephen Barrett

[kola]

Quackwatch website is run by Mister Stephen Barrett, a failed MD who could not even pass his medical exams yet claimed to be a Medical Board Certified Psychiatrist, an expert researcher on alternative medicine and an expert legal/medical consultant. He has been linked with ties to the AMA and pharm industry. Simply put, he is a fraud. 

Here is just one example of MISTER Barrett's shenannigans:
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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: mediarelations@healthfreedomlaw.com
mediarelations@negretelaw.com
URL: www.healthfreedomlaw.com
www.negretelaw.com

Dr. Tedd Koren, DC.
Phone: 800.537.3001
267.498.0071 Fax: 267.498.0078
URL: 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, Stephen Barrett 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 www.quackwatch.org , 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 www.korenpublications.com and 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.

[Braddogg]

Quackwatch website is run by Mister Stephen Barrett, a failed MD who could not even pass his medical exams yet claimed to be a Medical Board Certified Psychiatrist, an expert researcher on alternative medicine and an expert legal/medical consultant. He has been linked with ties to the AMA and pharm industry. Simply put, he is a fraud.

I'm going to stop right there.  Don't you see a contradiction?  He's heavily tied with the AMA and Big Pharma, but failed his licensing exam?  And the AMA and Big Pharma couldn't pull some strings?

The press release made a lot of insinuations about Dr Barrett's (I'm going to use Dr., because he did earn an M.D.) ties to the AMA, but didn't substantiate any of them nor discuss what these ties were.  The ties to the FTC and FDA weren't very explicit either, but from what I understand about the system, the FDA may have consulted him about the medical research on a product asking for FDA approval, and the FTC may have consulted him about claims made my products already on the shelves.  Of course, the press release didn't show any of that to be true.

The term "health freedom," as appears in the press release, is a loaded one.  Being an anarchist, I don't agree with the politics of Dr. Barrett and his cohorts, of course.  Quackery shouldn't be made punishable by law.  But "health freedom" is a little misleading when it comes to discussing something like chiropractic "sublexations" or the efficacy of homeopathy.

[kola]

I'm going to stop right there.  Don't you see a contradiction?  He's heavily tied with the AMA and Big Pharma, but failed his licensing exam?  And the AMA and Big Pharma couldn't pull some strings?

Braddog,

Did you read the article that I posted?

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).

Barrett admitted his ties with the AMA, FTC and the FDA. I do not have a clue as to why they didn't 'stroke" Barrett a license. I can only specualate that they knew he was an idiot.

I believe you are missing the point.
The point being: Barrett was a pawn, a player, who worked for the medico-industrial complex and his job was to discredit alternative healthcare.

Kola

[kola]

But "health freedom" is a little misleading when it comes to discussing something like chiropractic "sublexations" or the efficacy of homeopathy.

Here is another clue into the mind of Braddog...and why I can smell it from a mile away:

Your dismissal of a profession (chiropractic) which is recognized in every state and recognized by the federal governments Medicare and Medicaid systems. The chiropractic "subluxation" is recognized at the  federal level and reimburses accordingly for treatment specific to the diagnosis. All 50 states recognize and accept chiropractic in the Workers Compensation program and there is current work to incorporate chiropractic for war veterans. Chiropractors are qualified in some states to deliver babies, perform sutures, perform gyn and rectal exams, do blood draws, perform urinalysis, shoot radiographs and interpet them, perform physicals not to mention all the aspects surrounding neuromuscular injuries, auto wreck patients and a host of treatments. All recognized and accepted by the states.

The days of chiropractic "quackery" are fading fast. The Wilks vs AMA trial proved the AMA had a hidden agenda to destroy chiropractic and attach the "quack" label. The AMA lost but they flexed their muscles and appealed the decision, took it to the Supreme Court but lost again! What a victory for chiropractors..yet it was not even in the mainstream news.

MD's are working with chiropractors and patients are looking for alternatives. For me personally I think MD's, DO's, chiros and all other heath professionals should be working together to give a patient an array options and we should be able to offer them the best choices for their specific condition. All the profession need to come together, put the ego issues aside and forget about the money, big houses and fancy cars and start helping people. That is why I became a chiropractor. I hope someday my dream will become reality. Until then, I choose to focus my energy on positive things and avoid the Doubting Thomass's..which distract me from my goals. 

Kola

[Braddogg]

Right.  And the press release (not article) does not disclose the nature of that relationship.  THAT was what I mentioned in my second paragraph.  The press release says that Dr. Barrett "concede[d] his ties" to the AMA, FTC, and FDA.  That nature of those ties was not provided.  Please tell me this vague sentence in a press release by a guy whose business is threatened by Dr. Barrett isn't all you're basing your opinion on -- and please tell me you have enough respect for me to not assume that vague sentence is going to convince me . . . .  It's not that I missed the point, just that it wasn't supported.

[kola]

Braddog, I see your point but do you really think Barrett was going to make a confession?

You need to read about the corruption in the scientific communities and how people scratch each others backs for a dime or two. You appear to be a smart person but I hope your "belief system" does not get in the way of keeping a open mind and exploring new turf.

Kola 

[Braddogg]

Braddog, I see your point but do you really think Barrett was going to make a confession?

The claim in the press release -- and what you chastised me for not "getting" -- was that Dr Barrett confessed to ties with the AMA, FTC, and FDA.  And now you're saying he didn't confess?  So you'll just fill in what you want?  What's that about belief systems?

Well, have you read the court transcript of the exchange?  That is, do you even know what Barrett said, or do you only have this second-hand, from an obviously biased source (I think we both can agree that Koren's got a potential conflict of interest in making this assertion)?

[error]

I don't think the federal government recognizing something means that it's necessarily legitimate. I know virtually nothing about chiropractic anything, but I do know that if the government is involved, things are going to get messy.

[Braddogg]

kola, do you buy into the subluxation theory?  I went to a chiropractor after getting rear ended, and he was a big help in a quick recovery from soft tissue damage . . . but not because I had a blockage in my energy.  I'd go to a chiropractor for soft tissue damage again.  But this guy also tried to convince me not to get gall bladder surgery, instead telling me to come in for a manipulation and to take a homeopathic remedy.  With no medical evidence of efficacy of chiropractic except for soft tissue damage, and certainly none for homeopathy, I decided to just have it removed . . . .

[Caleb]

I view chiropractic (no offense, kola) as a western corruption of eastern medicine.

Some of the eastern techniques (ie, acupuncture) have proven effective for many, many people, though science can't quite understand any physiological reason why this should be so. (So the "placebo effect" is thrown around as a sort of catch-all explanation.)

So, I don't think its a good idea to be dismissive of an idea, just because you can't see how it could work scientifically. The best way of phrasing it would be, "If subluxation works, there is not currently any scientific understanding of the principles involved."

[kola]

Caleb, I ofien use acupuncture as an example when people question chiropractic. No offense taken.

Chiros have the subluxation and acupuncture has meridian pathways. Both are based on energy flow.

Chiropractic is very similar to the Eastern ways as we do not always treat symptoms.

Chiropractic was founded by a man named DD Palmer over 100 years ago but spinal adjusting was being done thousands of years ago by the Egyptians and by Native American Indians.

Kola

[kola]

Braddog, Barrett confessed he had ties with the AMA and others. He did not confess he took money for the purpose of smearing chiropractic. How do I know this? Tedd Koren is a friend of mine and we had conversations and emails about the trial.

Kola 

[Braddogg]

I view chiropractic (no offense, kola) as a western corruption of eastern medicine.

Some of the eastern techniques (ie, acupuncture) have proven effective for many, many people, though science can't quite understand any physiological reason why this should be so. (So the "placebo effect" is thrown around as a sort of catch-all explanation.)

It's a pretty well-established principle that whenever you do something to ease someone's pain, they're going to report feeling better.  It's not quite the same as a placebo effect like the media portrays (I always get the image of the scene from M*A*S*H when they run out of pain relievers in post-op and just give them sugar pill instead, and suddenly the post-op ward goes silent with relief).  The better the study, the larger the sampling, the closer to random the effects of acupuncture and chiropractic are.  My favorite little bit on acupuncture is that some acupuncturists use electricity in performing their ancient Eastern remedy.  There was a study I heard about that mentioned that fact once, in a footnote.  And that's a big deal!

So, I don't think its a good idea to be dismissive of an idea, just because you can't see how it could work scientifically. The best way of phrasing it would be, "If subluxation works, there is not currently any scientific understanding of the principles involved."

Ya . . . but it doesn't work.  For soft tissue damage, subluxation theory is the wave of the magician's hand as he pulls out the rabbit, while a physical therapist is just going to give you a rabbit from a cage.  And for other uses, it's shown no efficacy in studies (except, of course, in studies put out by journals run by and paid for by chiropractic associations).  And, on the other hand, there is no theoretical basis for subluxation theory to be effective.  If this energy is not detectable, how can a block be seen and treated?  And if it is detectable, where is it?  There's no consistency.

[kola]

Ya . . . but it doesn't work.  For soft tissue damage, subluxation theory is the wave of the magician's hand as he pulls out the rabbit, while a physical therapist is just going to give you a rabbit from a cage.  And for other uses, it's shown no efficacy in studies (except, of course, in studies put out by journals run by and paid for by chiropractic associations).  And, on the other hand, there is no theoretical basis for subluxation theory to be effective.  If this energy is not detectable, how can a block be seen and treated?  And if it is detectable, where is it?  There's no consistency.

A classic signature line.  LOL!

Again I like to use acupuncture as an example. Merdian pathways or flow of "chee" energy has never been proven by "science". Yet it is well accepted by a large part of world and is effective in many cases. The medical community widely accepts acupuncture yet the foundation for acupuncture is based on energy flow and pathways which have an effect on every cells tissue and organ in the human body.
Eastern medicine and chiropractic do not focus on "treating symptoms. Acupuncture frees up energy, chiropractic frees up the nervous system BUT the intent is to let the body heal itself. An acupuncturist may free up energy at a liver meridian for a person experiencing a cold. A chiropractor may adjust cervical vertebra 6 for a carpal tunnel problem. There is no scientific proof God exists yet how many people believe in a God and how many people gets results from prayer. Placebo? Maybe so. If it works who cares?

Despite all the attacks on alternative professions they are still thriving. It they did not produce results they would have died off years ago.  As more and more people become fed up with the current medical situation and their lack of insurance coverage they are looking elsewhere. And many are getting results.
I think choices are good and the consumers have the right to chose their style of care.

Kola