Stephen Barrett Explained

Stephen Barrett
Birth Name:Stephen Joel Barrett
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Education:Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (1957)
Occupation:Psychiatrist, author, consumer advocate, webmaster
Years Active:1961–1993 (psychiatry)
Known For:Being the webmaster of Quackwatch
Spouse:Judith Nevyas Barrett[1] [2]
Children:3

Stephen Joel Barrett (; born 1933) is an American retired psychiatrist, author, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), and the webmaster of Quackwatch. He runs a number of websites dealing with quackery and health fraud. He focuses on consumer protection, medical ethics, and scientific skepticism.

Early life and education

Barrett was born in New York City. He is a 1957 graduate of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed his psychiatry residency in 1961. In 1968, he completed part of a correspondence course in American Law and Procedure at La Salle Extension University in Chicago.[3]

Career

Barrett was a practicing physician until retiring from active practice in 1993., his medical license was listed as "Expired" in good standing: "No disciplinary actions were found for this license."[4] A longtime resident of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Barrett now resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.[5]

In addition to webmastering his websites, Barrett was a co-founder, vice-president and a board member of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF). He is a scientific advisor to the American Council on Science and Health, and a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). From 1987 through 1989, he taught health education at Pennsylvania State University.

Barrett was the consulting editor for the Consumer Health Library at Prometheus Books,[6] and has been a peer-review panelist for [7] two[8] [9] [10] medical journals. He has also served on the editorial board of Medscape[11] and the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine.[12] According to his website, he "has written more than 2,000 articles and delivered more than 300 talks at colleges, universities, medical schools, and professional meetings. His media appearances include Dateline, Today, Good Morning America, Primetime, Donahue, CNN, National Public Radio, and more than 200 other radio and television talk show interviews."[13]

Quackwatch received the award of Best Physician-Authored Site by MD NetGuide, May 2003.[14] In 1984, he received an FDA Commissioner's Special Citation Award for Public Service in fighting nutrition quackery.[15] He was included in the list of outstanding skeptics of the 20th century by Skeptical Inquirer magazine.[16] In 1986, he was awarded honorary membership in the American Dietetic Association. Barrett has been profiled in Biography Magazine (1998)[17] and in Time (2001).[18]

The magazine Spiked included Barrett in a survey of 134 persons[19] they termed "key thinkers in science, technology and medicine."[20] [21] When he was asked: "What inspired you to take up science?" he replied that his appreciation of medical science:

probably began when I took a college course in medical statistics, and learned what makes the difference between scientific thought and poor reasoning. Medical school brought me in touch with the rapid and amazing strides being made in the understanding and treatment of disease. My anti-quackery activities have intensified my interest and concern in distinguishing science from pseudoscience, quackery and fraud.

Quackwatch

See main article: Quackwatch. The Quackwatch website is Barrett's main platform for describing and exposing what he and other contributors consider to be quackery and health fraud.[22] The website was part of Quackwatch, Inc., a nonprofit corporation founded by Barrett that aims to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct." The non-profit was dissolved in 2008.[23] Barrett's writing is supplemented with contributions from many scientific, technical, and lay volunteers and includes numerous references to published research articles.[24] Barrett defines quackery as "anything involving overpromotion in the field of health,"[25] and reserves the word fraud "only for situations in which deliberate deception is involved."[26] Barrett has become a "lightning rod" for controversy as a result of his criticisms of alternative medicine theories and practitioners. Barrett says he does not criticize conventional medicine because that would be "way outside [his] scope."[27] He states he does not give equal time to some subjects, and has written on his web site that "Quackery and fraud don't involve legitimate controversy and are not balanced subjects. I don't believe it is helpful to publish 'balanced' articles about unbalanced subjects."[28] Barrett is at the forefront of exposing questionable aspects of chiropractic.[29]

Barrett is a strong supporter of the HONcode and has made efforts to improve compliance with its rules and to expose those who abuse it.[30]

A number of practitioners and supporters of alternative medicine oppose Barrett and Quackwatch for its criticism of alternative medicine.[31] Donna Ladd, a journalist with The Village Voice, says Barrett relies mostly on negative research to criticize alternative medicine, rejecting most positive case studies as unreliable due to methodological flaws. According to Ladd, Barrett insists that most alternative therapies "simply should be disregarded without further research. 'A lot of things don't need to be tested [because] they simply don't make any sense', he says, pointing to homeopathy, chiropractic, and acupuncture as examples of alternative treatments with no plausible mechanism of action."

Both website reviews[32] [33] [34] [35] [36] and various journal articles[37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] mention or use as references Stephen Barrett's Quackwatch as a useful source for consumer information. However, other authors have criticised Quackwatch as being overly biased in its presentation.[43] [44] [45]

In February 2020, Quackwatch became part of the Center for Inquiry. CFI maintains its various websites.[46]

Publications

Barrett's articles include:

His (co)authored and (co)edited books include:[49]

Collections of articles:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Stephen Barrett, M.D. Curriculum Vitae . Barrett . Stephen . December 21, 2016 . Quackwatch . February 25, 2017 . Wife, Judith Nevyas Barrett, M.D., is a retired family practitioner..
  2. News: Rosen . Marjorie . October 1998 . Biography Magazine Interviews - Stephen Barrett, M.D. . Biography Magazine . February 25, 2017.
  3. News: Stephen . Barrett . Curriculum Vitae . . June 24, 2007 . July 18, 2007.
  4. Web site: Pennsylvania Department of State; Stephen Barret Medical License Status and standing . November 19, 2015 . Pennsylvania Department of State; to be considered a primary resource .
  5. News: Ann . Wlazelek . Allentown critic of quacks moves to 'milder winters' . . June 13, 2007 . September 25, 2014.
  6. Web site: Prometheus Books Spring-Summer 2007 Trade Catalog. March 29, 2007. 63 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061114180455/http://www.prometheusbooks.com/PBcatalog.pdf . November 14, 2006.
  7. News: Stephen . Barrett . Stephen Barrett, M.D., Biographical Sketch . Quackwatch . June 4, 2007 . August 12, 2007.
  8. Elaine S . Williams . The JAMA 1998 Editorial Peer Review Audit . . April 21, 1999 . 10.1001/jama.281.15.1443 . 281 . 15 . 1443. free .
  9. JAMA Peer Reviewers for 2003. February 11, 2004. JAMA. 291. 6. 751–764. 10.1001/jama.291.6.751. 162455343 . Not Available . free.
  10. Thanks to Reviewers-2001 . . December 18, 2001 . 135 . 12 . 1098–1106 . 10.7326/0003-4819-135-12-200112180-00033. 53089455 .
  11. Introducing the Editorial Board of Medscape . MedGenMed. 11104430 . E28 . Lundberg . GD . 1999.
  12. Web site: The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine . August 15, 2002 . Quackwatch . 15 February 2015.
  13. Sintay and Hagan. From Farrah Fawcett to Suzanne Somers: Is Alternative Medicine Safe?. Barrett participated on Good Morning America, April 7, 2009.
  14. Web site: Pass the Envelope, Please...: Best Physician- Authored Site . MD Net Guide . May–June 2003 . April 3, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030625042915/http://www.mdnetguide.com/departments/may_june2003/cover.html . June 25, 2003.
  15. Web site: Joel R. Cooper. Consumer Health Fraud...don't be a victim! Interview with Stephen Barrett, M.D. . The Medical Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20061212174116/http://medicalreporter.health.org/tmr0199/consumerfraud.html. December 12, 2006 .
  16. Web site: Ten Outstanding Skeptics of the Century . Scientifically Investigating Paranormal and Fringe Science Claims . . August 12, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070715132139/http://www.csicop.org/articles/19991214-century/ . July 15, 2007.
  17. News: Marjorie . Rosen . Interview with Stephen Barrett, M.D . Biography Magazine . October 1998 . August 16, 2007.
  18. News: Leon . Jaroff . The Man Who Loves To Bust Quacks . https://web.archive.org/web/20050406044958/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101010430-107254,00.html . dead . April 6, 2005 . . April 30, 2001 . August 16, 2007.
  19. News: What Inspired You? – Index of Survey responses . . July 23, 2007 .
  20. News: What Inspired You? – Introduction . Spiked-Online . July 23, 2007 .
  21. News: Stephen . Barrett . What Inspired You? – Survey responses – Dr Stephen Barrett . Spiked-Online . July 23, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20120920174441/http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/inspired/article/1336/. September 20, 2012 .
  22. News: Fred D. Baldwin. If It Quacks Like a Duck .... September 16, 2007. MedHunters . https://web.archive.org/web/20080206060833/http://www.medhunters.com/articles/ifItQuacksLikeADuck.html . February 6, 2008.
  23. News: Stephen, MD. Barrett. Quackwatch mission statement. August 16, 2007. Quackwatch.
  24. News: Stephen, MD. Barrett. 150+ Scientific and Technical Advisors. Quackwatch. January 28, 2003. May 21, 2015.
  25. News: Stephen, MD. Barrett. Quackery: How Should It Be Defined?. Quackwatch. August 16, 2007.
  26. News: Barrett SJ, Jarvis WT. Quackery, Fraud and "Alternative" Methods: Important Definitions. Quackwatch. August 16, 2007.
  27. http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-06-22/news/doctor-who/ Dr. Who? Diagnosing Medical Fraud May Require a Second Opinion.
  28. News: How do you respond to accusations that your writing is unbalanced?. Barrett SJ. August 16, 2007. Quackwatch.
  29. Book: 171–72 . The truth about chiropractic therapy . Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine . Singh S, Ernst E . 2008 . W.W. Norton . 978-0-393-06661-6.
  30. Christopher Wanjek. Attacking Their HONor: Some Dispute Value of Logo Used to Verify Accuracy, Integrity Of Health Web Site Contents. Special to The Washington Post, April 20, 2004; Page HE01
  31. Hufford . David J. . David Hufford . 2003 . Symposium article: Evaluating Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Limits of Science and Scientists . The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics . 31 . 2. 198–212 . 10.1111/j.1748-720x.2003.tb00081.x . 12964264 . 29859505 . . Hufford's symposium presentation was the counterpoint for another doctor's presentation, which argued that "alternative medicine" is not medicine at all. See Schneiderman . Lawrence J. . 2003 . Symposium article: The (Alternative) Medicalization of Life . The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics . 31 . 2. 191–198 . 10.1111/j.1748-720x.2003.tb00080.x . 12964263 . 43786245 .
  32. Book: Arabella Dymoke. The Good Web Guide. 2004. The Good Web Guide Ltd. 978-1-903282-46-5. 35. Quackwatch is without doubt an important and useful information resource and injects a healthy dose of scepticism into reviewing popular health information. Its aim is to investigate questionable claims made in some sectors of what is now a multi-million pound healthcare industry..
  33. News: Bao-Anh. Nguyen-Khoa. Selected Web Site Reviews — Quackwatch.com. The Consultant Pharmacist. July 1999. June 24, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090318041703/http://www.ascp.com/publications/tcp/1999/jul/access.shtml. March 18, 2009 .
  34. Web site: Best of the Web website reviews: Quackwatch.. Forbes. https://web.archive.org/web/20080114071544/http://www.forbes.com/bow/b2c/review.jhtml?id=865. January 14, 2008 .
  35. News: Diet Channel Award Review Of Quackwatch. September 18, 2007. Quackwatch is a very informative site which informs you about health fraud and gives you advice on many decisions..
  36. News: U.S. News & World Report: The Best of The Web Gets Better. US News. November 7, 1999. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20060524122033/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/culture/articles/991115/archive_002597_7.htm . May 24, 2006 .
  37. 1803699. 2006. Pray. W. S.. Ethical, Scientific, and Educational Concerns with Unproven Medications. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 70. 6. 141. 17332867. 10.5688/aj7006141.
  38. 10.1177/0273475303257763. If it Walks Like a Duck...: Concerns about Quackery in Marketing Education. Journal of Marketing Education. 26. 4–16. 2004. Chonko. Lawrence B.. 167338734. .
  39. 16336135. 2005. Sampson. Wallace. Propagation of the absurd: Demarcation of the absurd revisited. The Medical Journal of Australia. 183. 11–12. 580–1. Atwood IV. Kimball. 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb00040.x. 43272637.
  40. 10.1016/S0002-8223(01)00117-1. Internet hoaxes: How to spot them and how to debunk them. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 101. 4. 460. 2001. Cunningham. Eleese. Marcason. Wendy.
  41. 10.1001/jama.280.15.1380. Click here: How to find reliable online health information and resources. JAMA. 280. 15. 1380. 1998. 9794323.
  42. 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)78918-2. Medical quackery squashers on the web. The Lancet. 351. 9114. 1520. 1998. Larkin. Marilynn. 54300255.
  43. Okasha . Mona . 2000 . Quackery on the web – questionable cancer therapies . The Lancet Oncology . 1 . 4. 251 . 10.1016/S1470-2045(00)00162-5 .
  44. Cuzzell, Jane. (2000). "Quackwatch: Your Guide to Health Fraud, Quackery, and Intelligent Decisions", Dermatology Nursing, Apr. 2000, p. 134. Accessed 6 November 2019.
  45. Book: Vankevitch, Ned. Limiting Pluralism. Ernst, Waltraud . Plural medicine, tradition and modernity, 1800-2000 . Routledge . New York . 2002 . 219–244. https://books.google.com/books?id=DVp71Gp4eE4C. 978-0-415-23122-0.
  46. Web site: Fidalgo . Paul . Quackwatch Joins the Center for Inquiry . Center for Inquiry . February 26, 2020 . 26 February 2020.
  47. Barrett SJ (August 23, 1985). Commercial hair analysis. Science or scam? JAMA Vol. 254 No. 8.
  48. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/285/1/67 Assessment of Commercial Laboratories Performing Hair Mineral Analysis
  49. Web site: Books and book chapters. Barrett SJ. February 12, 2007. Quackwatch.

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