| The Cavalry showed up... "Quackbuster" propagandist Stephen Barrett, must have lain on his basement floor for an hour last Thursday, kicking his feet in frustration. Barrett has been denigrating the complaints of parents and health activists who questioned the efficacy of Ritalin - and suggested alternatives. Thursday was the day that the prestigious Wall Street Journal printed an article about two separate high profile law firms, one in New Jersey, the other in San Diego, announcing their dual attacks on Ciba-Geigy, the makers of the controversial drug Ritalin. Barrett, a de-licensed MD, who also makes dubious claims about being a "retired Psychiatrist," operates a questionable website (www.quackwatch.com) where he holds forth to be an expert on almost any subject having to do with "Alternative Medicine." Barrett claims "Alternative medicine" is "health fraud." Barrett, however, has NO training, and NO experience, in ANY "Alternative Medicine" field. Not only does Barrett misrepresent "Alternative Medicine," but he seems to misrepresent himself, even more. Barrett is NOT a licensed MD, and WAS NEVER a Board Certified Psychiatrist. Ciba-Geigy, the makers of Ritalin, one of the most controversial of North American health issues, faces multi-billion dollar losses in litigation. This case could end them. Supporters of Robert Sinaiko, MD, a California based doctor "Board Certified" in three specialties: Allergy, Internal Medicine, and Immunology, were delighted over the attorney's action, and are meeting to plan their own actions to "help" the attorneys. Sinaiko, a disciple of famous Doctor Robert Feingold, MD was persecuted by the Medical Board of California (MBC), in a famous California case written up as the cover story of the April 1999 issue of Medical Economics Magazine. The eight page article titled "Is this Doctor Controversial Enough To Lose His License," talks about Sinaiko's battle with the (my opinion) "Quackbuster riddled" MBC. The MBC, in one of the most poorly written, poorly prosecuted, kangaroo court cases, blasted Sinaiko for "being on the wrong side of the Ritalin issue." Sinaiko (paraphrasing his actual words) had stated "Before you put a child on Ritalin, let's find out what may be causing that hyperactivity." The two lawsuits fit right in with the interests of Sinaiko supporters who formed a nationwide organization, the "Progress In Medicine Foundation - Medical Defense Fund" (www.legalfund.org) to help Sinaiko. The grassroots organization raised close to $300,000 for the Sinaiko case, so far, and it is not over. The Sinaiko case was designed by his Team One to be appealable - as it was felt that the MBC would condemn Sinaiko. The case now awaits a regular court hearing. Sinaiko, had gained huge support, not only of the "health freedom movement," but the California Medical Association (CMA), The Center for Public Interest Law (CPIL), and an impressive list of star rated witnesses from all over the United States. The arrogant MBC labeled all of Sinaiko's witnesses as "not credible" including a surprised, recently retired, Assistant Secretary of Health in the Clinton administration - Phil Lee, MD. Lee went on to become Governor Gray Davis's chief health advisor, and, I assume, helped the Governor pick 14 new MBC Board members replacing those that found Sinaiko guilty... Sinaiko's MBC decision was personally signed by Pediatrician, Alan Shumaker MD, a former president of the notorious "Quackbuster Conspiracy" controlled Federation of States Medical Boards (FSMB). The FSMB (www.fsmb.org) official policy has been to copy Barrett's claim that all "Alternative Medicine," is health fraud. Governor Davis did not renew Shumaker's Board membership. A significant number of Sinaiko supporters came from the ranks of the Feingold Association, a non-profit group which helps parents check their children's diets to determine if something in their eating habits may be causing childhood problems. Feingold proponents challenge so-called "conventional" wisdom that "diet doesn't account for more than 5% of hyperactivity problems." Health activists say that the so-called "conventional" wisdom people are using ONLY studies completed before 1982 - and ignore more recent studies which indicate 85% of children can be helped by a change in diet. |
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