It wasn’t that long ago that top Quackbusters (quackpots) Stephen Barrett and Bobbie Baratz used the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF) to sue fifteen Homeopathic product manufacturers, in California, absurdly claiming that “since Homeopathy has never been scientifically proven, it was health fraud.” The quackpot presentation, in those lawsuits, was so poor, their arguments so asinine, it left Los Angeles Superior Court Judges almost rolling on the floor with laughter.
Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
In fact, their efforts backfired so badly, the cases may well bankrupt the NCAHF, it’s Board members, and the NCAHF lawsuit’s funding sources. Delicensed MD Barrett rails at Homeopathy on his dubious website “quackwatch.com.”
The California lawsuits, intiated by the NCAHF, are a primary example of how legally and morally corrupt the basic quackbuster argument is. In these cases, the quackbusters brought forth their best arguments, and their best witnesses. They got quickly, and thoroughly, THRASHED.
Now, I believe, it’s just a matter of finding the quackbuster money sources – and collecting the damages.
Homeopathy, the North American health discipline, learned from the NCAHF’s attack. 2002 should be a year marked in their history book. For it is the year that Homeopathy recognized how much political, and legal, power it could generate, and successfully wield. The successful passing of SB577 (the unlicensed health practitioner bill), in California, is a good example. In that, Homeopathy worked with other unlicensed health disciplines to get passage.
Homeopathy is on a roll.
In Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from October 5 to 7, 2002, top Canadian Government officials are speaking at the Conference entitled, “A Lifetime of Health,” held at the Crown Plaza Hotel. The event is sponsored by the Canadian Coalition for Homeopathic Medicine. The event organizers say “Through the many speeches and sessions scheduled to take place at the conference, the success of homeopathy in the field of cancer, pediatrics and psychiatry will be presented by experts from around the world. With the assistance of conventional medical doctors, many of the myths and misconceptions about homeopathy will be debunked once and for all.”
Canadian quackpot Terry Polevoy, who operates a whiney, hate-spewing, quackpot website in Ontario is, of course, INCENSED. Polevoy, you’ll recall, was once, I believe, the heir-apparent to Stephen Barrett’s top quackbuster throne. Polevoy, I believe, lost his bid for the top position after Canadian police showed up at his home, questioning him about his following-around of Canadian radio personality Christine McPhee. Polevoy’s latest whine (besides his complaints about the conference) is “The Canadian Health Network refuses to provide any links to my web sites that has vital information about quackery in Canada.” Hah!
Do you suppose the Canadian government might think that Polevoy, a failed Pediatrician, who now runs a “pimple clinic,” might not be qualified to judge, or comment on, health care? Maybe Polevoy would do us all a favor by putting on his disguise and following-around one of the female MPs speaking at the conference? That’ll give the Royal Canadian Mounted Police something to do…
Keep it up – Homeopaths. A little drop here, a little drop there…
Tim Bolen
Consumer Advocate