What cases has he lost save for defamation cases? Those are notoriously
hard for a public figure such as himself to win. Do you have any
information that he has been successfully sued regarding any of his
statements about quackery?
Do you feel that many of the areas he attacks are actually valid science or
medicine? I read your seeming support for homeopathy and naturopathy. What
else?
----Original Message Follows----
From: Mitchel Cohen <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Science for the People Discussion List
<[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Quackwatch -- Not so fast ....
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 23:28:17 -0500
Hey Eric,
I wouldn't rely on quackwatch too much if I were you. Their leading figure,
Stephen Barrett, is losing case after case as the so-called quacks have been
turning the tables on the nation's premiere quack. Here's one story from 2
years ago. There are more, but this should do:
http://www.canlyme.com/quackwatch.html
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: [log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
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.
At 09:49 PM 2/16/2007, you wrote:
>I haven't read all the postings, but have not seen anyone refer to
>quackwatch.org. In my opinion the site has excellent articles debunking
>such dangerous nonsense as naturopathy and homeopathy, as well as the
>so-called vitamin therapies for AIDS.
>
>----Original Message Follows----
>From: Michael Balter <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: Science for the People Discussion List
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: list clutter
>Date: Fri, 16 Feb 2007 21:57:40 +0100
>
>With all due respect to George, I am going to object quite strenuously to
>this characterization of the debate. If you look back at the entire thread,
>you will see that Cohen and Campbell posted one discredited and dubious
>link
>after another in support of their HIV denialism, each one of which I
>demonstrated to be either misleading or factually incorrect. If I implied
>that they were ignorant asses as I did so, I think that implication was
>entirely justified by what I consider to be their dishonest attempts to
>further their agenda and their complete disregard for scientific evidence.
>They cited Duesberg, they cited Rath, and as Carrol pointed out, that is
>pretty reprehensible. I have also been told that nearly everyone here
>believes that HIV causes AIDS, and that few here believe this is a
>legitimate topic for debate on this list. I don't think those of us who are
>combatting AIDS denialism have closed minds, any more than those of us who
>think there is ample evidence for the theory of evolution have closed
>minds.
>
>On 2/16/07, George Salzman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> Thanks Larry,
>> I've refrained from this exchange, but been troubled by its tone. I
>>concur with your comments. What troubles me most is not the alleged
>>ignorance of Mitchel Cohen or Jonathan Campbell but the unbridled
>>arrogance
>>of some of those who disagree with them and who seem determined to keep
>>their minds closed. It ought to be possible to believe passionately that
>>someone's ideas are totally incorrect without attacking them personally
>>and
>>attributing bad motives to them.
>>Sincerely,
>>*George *<george.salzman (at) umb.edu>
>>
>>Larry Romsted wrote:
>>
>>Michael [Balter]:
>>
>>I mostly just read (lurk on) this list because a long time ago and what
>>seemed like another galaxy I was a subscriber to SESPA and because I think
>>of myself as a progressive, leftist scientist. I am generally silent
>>because many of the issues discussed on this list like HIV are simply
>>outside my area of expertise. I am a physical organic chemist by training
>>doing research in colloid and surface chemistry and trying to keep the
>>harm
>>I do in my science to a minimum. Not easy when one has to scrounge for
>>money to keep it going. You can find me on the Web. I am the only
>>Romsted
>>and I do chemistry at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
>>
>>But that is not why I am writing. I want to address your use of the word
>>"troll" to describe Mitchel Cohen ( I do not know Campbell).
>>
>>In brief, wrong.
>>
>>Mitchel is a long time political activist in New York City and we are of a
>>similar age. I have been active in spurts since the early sixties, a bit
>>as
>>an undergraduate and then more as a graduate student at Indiana
>>University.
>> Mitchel has been continuously active. I first met Mitchel during the
>>political struggle around WBAI and Pacifica. We worked together
>>periodically for about four years on the effort to bring democracy to
>>Pacifica. That struggle is not over and Mitchel is currently serving on
>>the
>>Local Station Board of WBAI. I am currently holed up in my chemistry
>>office
>>doing the publish or perish bit.
>>
>>Mitchel and I have never had extensive discussions about science, health,
>>etc., because we were always talking about WBAI/Pacifica. But I know
>>this.
>> Mitchel is NOT malicious. He does not try to sow dissension. Not his
>>goal. He does state his opinions and tries to do so clearly.
>>
>>So, when you disagree with him, just say so. He will listen.
>>
>>In struggle,
>>
>>Larry Romsted
>>
>>
>
>
>--
>www.michaelbalter.com
>
>******************************************
>Michael Balter
>Contributing Correspondent, Science
>[log in to unmask]
>******************************************
>
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