Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
Bullying isn’t all that profitable these days. In fact, as self named “quackbusters” Stephen Barrett (quackwatch.com), and Bobbie Baratz (NCAHF.org), are finding out, it can, and will, be downright expensive…
Quackbusters like to bully people. It’s all they have. It’s the megalomaniac thing to do… Why? Facts, logic, and social reality, are not on their side, arguing the issues surrounding North America’s rush away from “conventional medicine” towards what has been called “Alternative Medicine.”
Just north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada by two-and-a-half hours, is the little town of Bracebridge, Ontario. It’s there that Stephen Barrett, and Robert S. Baratz, North America’s two top VISIBLE quackbusters, have been set down for civil trial – for their misbehavior. In essence, Barrett, and Baratz, are getting their noses bloodied again – in full view of the general public.
According to court documents recently filed in Canada, Barrett and Baratz’s “bullying” was listed in 86 separate “claims,” with 176 separate “allegations,” 463 requests to admit, backed by a demand for authenticity of 47 documents.
Also, is a demand that Barrett, and Baratz, EACH, put up $25,000 to cover the costs of the case.
What the case is about…
Stephen Barrett, in my opinion, has some SERIOUS mental problems. I believe he sees himself as a God – an ultimate authority on everything within his view; health care, health fraud, law, libel law, religion, you-name-it… and this, without any qualification, training, learning, certification, etc. He just “says he is,” and for him, that’s enough. And, Barrett’s view of it all, is from the basement of his home in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Which is why, in his lawsuit against me, I’m demanding that Barrett submit to a complete Medical and Psychiatric evaluation with doctors of my choice. For the Medical exam, besides blood and urine analysis, we’ll need the details from a hair analysis, a saliva sample, autonomic response testing (Kinesiology), and we’ll want to see if he has mercury in his mouth.
In Canada, Barrett, accompanied by his dubious sidekick, Bobbie Baratz, the heir-apparent to the quackbuster throne, sued Wayne Obie, and his wife Francis Perrin, for supposedly defaming them by publishing, or allowing to be published, articles that I, Tim Bolen wrote. Barrett, and Baratz, are, in fact, suing Wayne and Francis, NOT for what I, Tim Bolen wrote in the articles, but for Barrett’s INTERPRETATION of what I wrote. Barrett’s God-Proclamation of what I wrote.
Canadians, Wayne Obie, and Francis Perrin, in response to an attack by Barrett and Baratz, have decided to call a spade a spade – and did so in a massive lawsuit against the twosome. Frankly, Wayne and Francis did what a whole lot of us should have already done – they identified the REAL problem with the self-styled “quackbusters,” and are going after it. I’ll tell you more about the case, and its importance to the North American Health Freedom Movement, in another newsletter.
Paperwork in the case against the acid duo, runs into the thousands of pages. Leafing through the documents turns up a myriad of INTERESTING allegations, some of which I’ll put on this page for your edification and amusement.
For instance, Court Documents show:
The sole purpose of the activities of Barrett & Baratz are to discredit and cause damage and harm to health care practitioners and businesses that make alternative health therapies or products available, and advocates of non-allopathic therapies and health freedom.
Barrett and Baratz have falsely and fraudulently held themselves out as experts in the scientific fields of alternative complementary medicine.
Barrett uses predatory and deceptive practices designed to cause harm and damage to supporters and providers of alternative health services and products.
Both Stephen Barrett and Robert Baratz are vexatious litigants who use the court system to advance their agendas and the agendas of their privately owned businesses, which promote allopathic medicine, and discredit any health care treatment or product that is considered complementary or alternative treatment.
NCAHF is the acronym for National Council against Health Fraud. The NCAHF is a front organization used by Barrett, Baratz and their other associates whose purpose is to solicit jobs so that they can act as expert witnesses against doctors who practice alternative and complementary treatment methods.
Barrett operates numerous web sites including Quackwatch.com, Chirowatch.com., ratbags.com and Quackwatch.org . The sole purpose of these web sites is to discredit health care professionals who practice alternative and complementary medicine. These web sites discredit complementary medicine and encourage people to report doctors who practice alternative medicine, thus providing Barrett , Baratz and their associates with a constant stream of potential cases that can be prosecuted thus providing them with opportunities to act as expert witnesses on behalf of NCAHF, their privately owned company.
Quackwatch.com., Quackwatch.org and Ratbags.com all provide links to NCAHF, and provide the false appearance of NCAHF being an impartial and regulatory type body, when in fact, it is not.
The growing popularity of alternative therapy is a constant threat to Barrett, Baratz and their business interests, and the interests of the existing medical and pharmaceutical status quo.
The debate over allopathic care vs. alternative health care is and will continue to be the subject of hot and emotional debate, similar to that of politics and religion. Barrett uses the court system and threats of legal action to bait, control and get leverage over what others say about him, his opinions, and qualifications.
About Civil Rights…
Barrett has interfered with the civil rights of numerous Canadians and Americans, in his efforts to have his critics silenced.
Barrett’s actions have resulted in loss of income and damages to numerous parties in Ontario.
Barrett routinely sends letters of demand for money to settle the threat of legal action, under the guise of e-mail communications sent as either “Private”, “copy written” and /or “Without Prejudice”. :Letter from Julia E. Holland copied to Robert Armstrong on behalf of Barrett and Baratz is attached as Exhibit “N”
Neither Barrett, Baratz or NCAHF contradict quackbuster, quackwatch, quackfiles, ratbags information anywhere on the internet, or in any publication anywhere.
Baratz stated that the power of prayer is the same as satanic worship.
About Conspiracy…
Quackwatch, and National Council against Health Fraud although independently incorporated, are one of the same, in that they have common directors, administrators, members, contributors and beliefs and collaborate together to the benefit of Barrett, Baratz and their other associates.
NCAHF is a private organization controlled by Barrett, Baratz and other of their associates whose sole purpose is to lend credibility to the activities, opinions and publications written by Barrett, Robert Baratz and it’s other members, so as to enhance their income making opportunities through payment of expert witness fees, sales of their publications and contributions solicited on their web sites.
The Quackwatch, Quackbusters, Ratbags, NCAHF and other of Barrett’s and Baratz’s, and their members and shareholders web sites, are all interlinked and support in one way or another, each other.
About Qualifications…
Barrett was disqualified as an expert witness in New York, when he was forced to admit under oath that he was never board certified.
Barrett using his NCAHF front led a legal action against 39 Defendants in California, claiming that the 39 defendants were committing fraud, because according to them , alternative medicine proponents do not have scientific proof of their claims.
Baratz testified under oath against a medical doctor in Wisconsin, without having credentials recommended by the American Medical Association to do so and without any knowledge about the field of expertise in which the Wisconsin Doctor was involved.
Baratz has various versions of his CV, with conflicting and inaccurate information.
Barrett once bragged to me that he had 4 libel suits in progress against 10 defendants and that he would was going to be filing against two more defendants within 2 months and had not decided if I was worth suing yet.
Barrett’s web site is defamatory against me and Talkinternational.com and states that the Talkinternational.com web site promotes fraud in dentistry.
About Abusing the Legal System…
The Plaintiffs are not unknown to litigation and have commenced and been involved in numerous legal actions in the United States against persons who hold opinions contrary to those of the Plaintiffs and or the interests whom the Plaintiffs represent.
As such the Plaintiffs are professional litigants in that they routinely file lawsuits and are involved in lawsuits for the sole purpose of advancing their agendas and creating expense and thereby harassing person involved in integrative and alternative health therapies. This is another vexatious action brought by the Plaintiffs.
The Plaintiff Barrett has stated publicly that “he is the media” and as such under U.S. Law, he has no claim for defamation.
The Plaintiffs Barrett and Baratz are public figures in the United States , and have chosen Ontario to claim defamation for this article because they cannot do so in the U.S.
The Plaintiffs have chosen to bring this action in Canada , notwithstanding the fact that their claim involves alleged publication of defamatory material on an Internet site. The Internet is ubiquitous and international in nature, it is unregulated by any governmental authority. However, the largest potential audience for any Internet web site is in theUnited States . As such, the Plaintiffs have chosen to bring an action against the Defendants in this jurisdiction since their attempts to bring similar lawsuits in the United States have not been and will not be successful.
The Plaintiffs advocate on behalf of business interests in competition to those of clients of the Defendant Obie and ones promoting integrative or alternative health therapies and mercury free dentistry. Their tactics are to challenge and discredit legitimate alternative health modalities and they have targeted individuals and businesses that advocate or are in the business of making alternative, integrative and progressive medical therapies available.
The Plaintiffs are residents of the United States . The Defendants thereby request that the Court make a substantial Order for security for costs against the Plaintiffs herein in consequence of their predilection for engaging in similar litigation in the United States , wherein the Courts there are not typically prone to awarding costs against unsuccessful Plaintiffs who engage in frivolous or vexatious litigation.
What happens next?…
Wayne and Francis have sent Barrett, and Baratz, DEMANDS for information, and Request to Admit documents – which they have twenty days to respond to. For instance, among the 463 facts Barrett, and Baratz, will be queried about:
Baratz filed suit against Dean Richard Huber who was over 70 years old after Baratz ran into the back of the Dean’s car while jogging in October 1992.
Baratz and Dr. Driscol, a director at Harvard Health, both mutually agreed in writing that Baratz does not have a high level of medical competency.
Barrett, Baratz, NCAHF & Quackwatch are all opposed to the practice of acupuncture.
There are no patient testimonials or other information on the internet or otherwise in the public domain positively identifying the quality of care Barrett provided to his patients, while practicing medicine.
There are no patient testimonials or other information on the internet or otherwise in the public domain positively identifying the quality of care Baratz provided to his patients, while practicing medicine.
There is significant evidence that Baratz’s career as a practicing medical doctor and dentist was less than extraordinary.
Stay tuned…
Tim Bolen – Consumer Advocate