Delicensed MD Stephen Barrett operates his questionable website “quackwatch.com” out of his basement in Allentown Pennsylvania. Barrett claims to be a “retired Psychiatrist” but was never, ever, Board Certified in that specialty. It has also been shown that Barrett is NOT licensed as a Naturopath in any state – and doesn’t even have a mail-order degree in that subject.
Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
I have followed the bizarre activities of Stephen Barrett for some time, and after scrutiny of his operation, I’ve come to some conclusions. Frankly, I’ve run the gauntlet of conclusions, from A to H, as I gleaned more and more information about the dubious “doctor.” At first glance I thought Stephen was a candidate for Thorazine treatment. For, his opinions, all centered around the central theme that “nothing new in health care should ever used, or even be researched – unless ‘I personally’ approve it,” to me, considering his professional qualifications, says that Stevie suffers from delusions of grandeur.
But then, as more information came in, I realized that Barrett, is simply converting his bitterness against his peers, because of his own lack of success in the field of medicine, into a cottage industry. Barrett, using his asinine statements on his website, offers to testify against his betters – those that moved forward in health care – those who passed him by in his unsuccessful climb up the ropes to medical acclaim. His website “quackwatch.com” is simply his advertisement for his “expert (crackpot?) testimony” business.
Well, Barrett’s cottage industry looks bankrupt to me. He doesn’t seem to be getting the calls for his “expertise” he used to get. One of the last times I got a call from an attorney wanting to counter Barrett’s opinion was in February this year – and Barrett had fallen back on a ruse, apparently, to get paid. He, in his declaration claimed, under penalty of perjury, that he was a “licensed MD.” I guided the attorney on a quick trip to the Pennsylvania Medical Board’s website where he could personally observe Barrett’s license status as “Not In Good Standing.” There was a “ho ho ho” on the other end of the phone line.
So…. if Barrett’s “testifying” income is slim, or non-existent, how is he paying for all that defamation litigation he’s involved in all over North America? And how is he paying for the costs of the website? Barrett has lawsuits against those that criticize him: one in Canada, two cases in Illinois – one of which he lost and has now filed an appeal, one in in Pennsylvania that was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, one in Federal Court in Oregon, and one very big one in California, where he’s getting mega-battered – plus he filed an appeal on part of the case in California he already lost.
I’m no expert on legal costs, but from here it looks like Barrett must have ALREADY spent in excess of half a million dollars pursuing his detractors. And, he hasn’t won any. So, where’s the money coming from?
Barrett’s time in the sun is over. His replacement, little Bobbie Baratz, looks to be getting all the testifying jobs.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO FIND THE PAYMASTER?
Because, he, or she, is the real Plaintiff in these, and other, cases. We can then ask the question of “the real Plaintiff,” what are you gaining from this?
I’ve suspected, right from the start, that Stephen Barrett wasn’t the brains behind the “quackbusters.” His writings, to me, aren’t those of a great intellect – they’re plebian at best – boring. There is somebody else. Barrett, whether he knows it or not, is simply a front man. But the question remains – for whom?
My guess, right now, is that the Paymaster is worried. For Barrett is not stomping his detractors into the earth. He’s losing -everywhere. More and more money is being poured into Barrett’s legal woes -and not only is there no end in sight, but Barrett’s detractors are grinning in anticipation of the next conflict. And, Barrett’s attorneys are probably on the phone with the request “could you send me another check today?”
I have my suspicions about the Paymaster. If I’m right, and I think I will be, exposure of the Paymaster will engender the wrath of the North American Health Freedom Movement so strongly, that that Paymaster will flee to Hell to find a cooler place to operate than North America.
And – we haven’t even begun to explore the question of “who funded those private Attorney General lawsuits by the so-called National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), against alternative health product manufacturers in California.” Coming soon…
Tim Bolen
Consumer Advocate