Stephen Barrett
Stephen Barrett is an American psychiatrist, writer, and prominent health fraud activist, born on September 6, 1933, in New York City. He is best known for cofounding the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), which aimed to combat health misinformation and fraudulent medical practices until its dissolution in 2011. Barrett also established Quackwatch, a website that addresses issues related to health fraud and quackery, and continues to be active in this field into the mid-2020s. He is recognized for his critical stance on complementary and alternative medicine, including practices such as chiropractic, acupuncture, and herbal medicine, advocating for evidence-based classifications of these practices.
Having earned his medical degree from Columbia University and completed his residency in psychiatry, Barrett practiced in Allentown, Pennsylvania, until his retirement in 1993. His contributions to consumer protection in medicine have earned him various accolades, including a public service award from the US Food and Drug Administration in 1984. Barrett has maintained a commitment to promoting reliable medical information, exemplified by his involvement with the HONcode and his continued work with Quackwatch as part of the Center for Inquiry. Throughout his career, he has remained a vocal advocate for scientific skepticism and consumer rights in healthcare.
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Stephen Barrett
- Born: September 6, 1933; New York, New York
Overview
American psychiatrist, writer, and health fraud activist. A retired American psychiatrist and writer, Stephen Barrett, cofounded the National Council Against Health Fraud. Before dissolving in 2011, this nonprofit organization investigated and reported on health misinformation, fraud, and quackery (fraudulent medical practices). By his own definition, “quackery” refers to “anything involving overpromotion in the field of health.” He claims to reserve the word “fraud” only for deliberate deception. Barrett also founded Quackwatch, an internet-based network that continues to cover health fraud and related issues in the mid-2020s. He has gained much media attention because he is a leading voice in questioning complementary and alternative medical practices, such as chiropractic, acupuncture, and herbal medicine.
The mission of NCAHF was partly to protect consumers from fraudulent health-related practices and products, promote medical ethics, and explore scientific skepticism. Barrett argued that alternative practices should be further classified as either questionable, experimental, or genuine based on existing scientific evidence. He was a vocal proponent of the “HONcode,” a code of conduct developed by the nonprofit Health on the Net Foundation to improve the reliability and clarity of medical information on the Internet.
Barrett received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1957 and completed his psychiatry residency in 1961. He was a practicing physician in Allentown, Pennsylvania, until his retirement in 1993. Barrett has received numerous awards for his work in consumer protection in medicine. In 1984, he received a special award for public service from the US Food and Drug Administration, recognizing his contribution to combating quackery in nutrition. In addition, he was profiled in Time magazine in 2001. The site Quackwatch has also received various honors.
Even after his retirement in 1993, Barrett remained an active force in the fight against health misinformation. He served as a consulting editor for the Prometheus Books series Consumer Health Library, a peer reviewer for various medical journals, an advisor to the American Council on Science and Health, and a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. His commitment to his cause was further demonstrated when Quackwatch became part of the Center for Inquiry, a nonprofit organization that actively fights against the proliferation of pseudoscience, in February 2020.
In the mid-2020s, Barrett continued his fight against misinformation and fraud by maintaining and contributing to the Quackwatch website, writing and editing articles for Consumer Health Digest, speaking publicly, and serving as a consultant and advisor to various groups devoted to evidence-based healthcare.
Bibliography
Barrett, Steven, et al. Consumer Health: A Guide to Intelligent Decisions. 8th ed., Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
Celiberti, David. "Interview with Dr. Stephen Barrett, Quackwatch Founder." Association for Science in Autism Treatment, asatonline.org/research-treatment/interviews/interview-with-dr-stephen-barrett-quackwatch-founder. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
Jaroff, Leon. "The Man Who Loves to Bust Quacks." Time, 30 Apr. 2001, content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,999790,00.html. Accessed 5 Sept. 2024.
"My 50+ Years of Antiquackery Activity - Stephen Barrett, MD, in Conversation with William M. London on Skeptical Inquirer Presents." Center for Inquiry, 12 June 2023, centerforinquiry.org/news/my-60-years-of-antiquackery-activity-stephen-barrett-md-in-conversation-with-william-m-london-on-skeptical-inquirer-presents. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.
"Stephen Barrett, M.D. Biographical Sketch." Quackwatch, 4 Feb. 2023, quackwatch.org/bio. Accessed 15 Aug. 2023.