Will the "Quackbusters" Survive 2005?...

Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen

Sunday, January 23rd, 2005

Will the "quackbusters," survive 2005? No, they will not. And below are five reasons why...

The primary reason why the "quackbusters" will not survive 2005 is the Federal Court (Cavitat v. Aetna) Racketeering (RICO) lawsuit. Below you can read about that action.

But, even more important, when reading that reason, you'll find the opportunity (March 5th, 2005), for YOU to, understand, get involved in that action, or find how to start your own legal action.

Aetna, so far, has filed four separate "Motions to Dismiss" this legal action, and each of them has failed. The trial is going forward.

Aetna, like several entities, made the mistake of relying on information offered on "quackwatch.com" to condemn an innovative health device. Now, they are facing a massive claim for damages.

The "quackbusters," we know, are a subversive operation started in the United States shortly after the American Medical Association (AMA) lost a Federal court case to the Chiropractors (Wilk v. AMA). In that case the chiropractic profession rightly, and successfully, accused the medical profession of attempting, through covert operation, to shut down, or damage the chiropractors as a competitive health profession.. They won their case - and the AMA was ordered to shut down their operation.

About six months later twenty six (26) drug companies began, and originally funded, the current "quackbuster," operation. For several years the "quackbusters," were successful. (Emphasis added)

Today, the "quackbusters," those you see, are a motley lot, led, they would have you believe, by failed MD Stephen Barrett through his boring, and repetitive, "quackwatch.com" website. "Quackwatch. com" is the quackbuster's "bible." On that site, and their dubious "web-ring" you'll find a condemnation of anything, and everything, that competes with the use of drugs, drugs, and more drugs.

Over the last few years, Barrett, his minions, and wanna-bees, have been roundly, and soundly, humiliated in their efforts. Barrett, himself, has been officially declared in a PUBLISHED Appeals Court decision to be "biased, and unworthy of credibility." (Emphasis added)

Even better is that the once vaunted National Council Against Health (NCAHF), after having been rudely evicted from its moorings at Loma Linda University, lost so badly in Court actions against the Homeopathic profession it owes over $100,000 to its intended victim. The Homeopaths trounced them them in Court - more than once.

In Wisconsin, the NCAHF, still licking its wounds from California, tried to regain some status - but it, through its president, hair removal and ear piercing specialist Robert S. Baratz, was, figuratively speaking, beaten to a pulp there - and humiliated in the media besides.

Barrett, quackwatch.com, the NCAHF, Robert Baratz, and others, have all, recently, been named in a FEDERAL Racketeering (RICO) lawsuit in Colorado (CAVITAT v. Aetna Insurance). Aetna has filed four separate "Motions for Dismissal" in this case, and has been rebuffed each time. Depositions will soon begin of quackbuster leaders.

Things are not going well for the "quackbusters,"...

You can read the rest of the article here.