| Revision as of 18:08, 1 July 2008 editLudwigs2 (talk | contribs)Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers19,240 edits rmv criticism subheader - these are generally nor preferred. see WP:CRITICISM← Previous edit | Revision as of 22:12, 1 July 2008 edit undoජපස (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers60,451 editsm Reverted to revision 216341979 by QuackGuru; better version. (TW)Next edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{unbalanced|date=May 2008}} | |||
| ]'''Quackwatch''' Inc. is an ] ] organization founded and operated by ], a retired psychiatrist,<ref name="BarrettBio">Quackwatch. </ref> that aims to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."<ref name="mission">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/mission.html|author=Barrett SJ|title=Quackwatch - Mission Statement|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref><ref name="quacks"> | |||
| '''Quackwatch''' Inc. is an ] ] organization that aims to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."<ref name="mission">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/mission.html|author=Barrett SJ|title=Quackwatch - Mission Statement|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> Since 1996, it has operated a website, Quackwatch.org, which contains articles and other types of information ].<ref name="QWmainpage">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/|author=Barrett SJ|title=Quackwatch.org main page|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref><ref name="The Good Web Guide"> Retrieved on September 14, 2007.</ref><ref name="Eastern Medicine Goes West">Politzer, M. '''' ]. Retrieved on September 14, 2007.</ref> The site advises the public on unproven or ineffective alternative medicine remedies.<ref name="quacks"> | |||
| {{cite news | {{cite news | ||
| |first=Fred D | |first=Fred D | ||
| Line 6: | Line 7: | ||
| |title=If It Quacks Like a Duck ... | |title=If It Quacks Like a Duck ... | ||
| |accessdate=2008-02-01 | |accessdate=2008-02-01 | ||
| |publisher=MedHunters}}</ref> |
|publisher=MedHunters}}</ref> Quackwatch has received several awards and has been recognized in the media.<ref name="Awards and Honors"/> Numerous sources cite Quackwatch as a practical source for online consumer information. The site has been regularly criticized by the groups it investigates, such as ], ] and other alternative medicine supporters.<ref name=jaroff_bust/> | ||
| == History == | == History == | ||
| Founded in 1969 by Stephen Barrett, M.D., the Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud was incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania in 1970.<ref name="Pennsylvania Department of State"> </ref> In 1996, the corporation began the Quackwatch website,<ref name="mission">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/mission.html|author=Barrett SJ|title=Quackwatch — Mission Statement|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> and the organization itself was renamed ''Quackwatch'' in 1997 as its website attracted attention. Quackwatch is closely affiliated with the ].<ref name="QWhomepage">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org|title=Quackwatch home page|accessdate=2007-11-04|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> Quackwatch now engages the services of 150+ scientific and technical advisors. As of 2003, 67 medical advisors, 12 dental advisors, 13 mental health advisors, 16 nutrition and food science advisors, 3 podiatry advisors, 8 veterinary advisors, and 33 "other scientific and technical advisors" were listed.<ref name="advisors">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/09Advisors/advbd.html|author=Barrett SJ|title=Scientific and technical advisors|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> | Founded in 1969 by ], M.D., the Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud was incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania in 1970.<ref name="Pennsylvania Department of State"> </ref> In 1996, the corporation began the Quackwatch website,<ref name="mission">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/00AboutQuackwatch/mission.html|author=Barrett SJ|title=Quackwatch — Mission Statement|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> and the organization itself was renamed ''Quackwatch'' in 1997 as its website attracted attention. Quackwatch is closely affiliated with the ].<ref name="QWhomepage">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org|title=Quackwatch home page|accessdate=2007-11-04|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> Quackwatch now engages the services of 150+ scientific and technical advisors. As of 2003, 67 medical advisors, 12 dental advisors, 13 mental health advisors, 16 nutrition and food science advisors, 3 podiatry advisors, 8 veterinary advisors, and 33 "other scientific and technical advisors" were listed.<ref name="advisors">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/09Advisors/advbd.html|author=Barrett SJ|title=Scientific and technical advisors|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Quackwatch}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | == Mission and scope == | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |first= | ||
| Quackwatch is overseen by Barrett, its chairman, with input from a board of advisors and help from volunteers, including a number of medical professionals.<ref name="rosen">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/10Bio/biography.html|author=Rosen, Marjorie (October 1998)|title=Interview with Stephen Barrett, M.D.|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Biography Magazine}}</ref> Quackwatch describes its ] as follows: | |||
| ⚫ | |last= | ||
| ⚫ | |title=Science Panel on Interactive Communication and Health | ||
| |url=http://www.health.gov/scipich/ | |||
| ⚫ | |work= | ||
| ⚫ | |publisher=] | ||
| ⚫ | |date=July |
||
| ⚫ | |accessdate=2007- |
||
| ⚫ | |quote=}}</ref> | ||
| {{quotation|...investigating questionable claims, answering inquiries about products and services, advising quackery victims, distributing reliable publications, debunking pseudoscientific claims, reporting illegal marketing, improving the quality of health information on the internet, assisting or generating consumer-protection lawsuits, and attacking misleading advertising on the internet.<ref name="mission"/>}} | |||
| ⚫ | == Mission and |
||
| Quackwatch states that the total cost of operating all of Quackwatch's sites is approximately $7,000 per year with no salaried employees at Quackwatch, Inc. It states that it is funded mainly by small individual donations, commissions from sales on other sites to which they refer, and profits from the sale of publications, and self-funding by Barrett. Stated income also is derived from sponsored links for which they receive a commission on products ordered including Amazon books, ConsumerLab.com, Healthgrades, and Netflix.<ref name="mission"/> | |||
| Quackwatch is overseen by Barrett, its chairman, with input from a board of advisors and help from volunteers, including a number of medical professionals.<ref name="rosen">{{cite web|url=http://www.quackwatch.org/10Bio/biography.html|author=Rosen, Marjorie (October 1998)|title=Interview with Stephen Barrett, M.D.|accessdate=2007-02-12|publisher=Biography Magazine}}</ref> There are no paid employees in the corporation. Quackwatch describes its purpose as "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct. Its primary focus is on quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere", and their activities as, investigating questionable claims, answering inquiries about products and services, advising quackery, debunking pseudoscientific claims, reporting illegal marketing, assisting or generating consumer-protection lawsuits, improving the quality of health information on the Internet, and attacking misleading advertising on the Internet. The site's motto is "''Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions''."<ref name="mission"/> | |||
| == |
== About the site == | ||
| The Quackwatch website contains many essays and researched viewpoints written for the non-specialist consumer by Barrett, other writers, and a board of advisors. The articles discuss health-related products, treatments, enterprises and providers which Quackwatch deems to be misleading, fraudulent or ineffective |
The Quackwatch website contains many essays and researched viewpoints written for the non-specialist consumer by Barrett, other writers, and a board of advisors. The articles discuss health-related products, treatments, enterprises and providers which Quackwatch deems to be misleading, fraudulent or ineffective and include references and links to sources used, as well as to sources for further study. | ||
| Quackwatch is especially critical of those therapies that it considers dubious or dangerous, including: | Quackwatch is especially critical of those therapies that it considers dubious or dangerous, including: | ||
| Line 101: | Line 95: | ||
| The site is also available in German,<ref name="German"></ref> French,<ref name="French"></ref> and Portuguese.<ref name="Portuguese"></ref> and also available via several ]s, including www.quack-watch.org<ref></ref> and www.quackwatch.com.<ref></ref> | The site is also available in German,<ref name="German"></ref> French,<ref name="French"></ref> and Portuguese.<ref name="Portuguese"></ref> and also available via several ]s, including www.quack-watch.org<ref></ref> and www.quackwatch.com.<ref></ref> | ||
| Quackwatch has been criticized by a number of supporters of ], such as ], ] and other alternative medicine practitioners.<ref name=jaroff_bust>{{cite news | |||
| == Reception == | |||
| |first=Leon | |||
| ⚫ | |last=Jaroff | ||
| |title=The Man Who Loves To Bust Quacks | |||
| |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101010430-107254,00.html | |||
| |publisher=] | |||
| |date=April 30, 2001 | |||
| ⚫ | |accessdate=2007-08-16}}</ref><ref name="Ladd"> by Donna Ladd, ], June 23 - 29, 1999. Retrieved September 2, 2006</ref><ref name="Evaluating_CAM">Hufford DJ. David J Hufford, "Symposium article: Evaluating Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Limits of Science and Scientists." J Law, Medicine & Ethics, 31 (2003): 198-212. Hufford's symposium presentation was the counterpoint for another doctor's presentation, which argued that "alternative medicine" is not medicine at all. See Lawrence J. Schneiderman, "Symposium article: The (Alternative) Medicalization of Life." J Law, Medicine & Ethics, 31 (2003): 191-198.</ref> Bao-Anh Nguyen-Khoa wrote, "It appears that Quackwatch.com uses the emotional reaction of its critics to substantiate its position."<ref name="ascp"/> David Hufford, Professor of Medical Humanities at the Penn State College of Medicine, wrote an opinion paper, asserting that Quackwatch would be more effective if it relied more on research and less on personal beliefs.<ref name="Evaluating_CAM"/> In regard to the ] over ], an anti-fluoridation article in the '']'' quotes a "generally informative and persuasive" Quackwatch article,<ref name=fluoridation> Article adapted from ''The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America'', Bob Sprague, Mary Bernhardt, Stephen Barrett, M.D.</ref> but criticizes its rhetorical style as "perhaps not the best way to win an argument, especially with serious-minded people."<ref name="Jay Nordlinger"> {{cite journal|title=Water Fights: Believe It or Not, the Fluoridation War Still Rages -- with a Twist You May Like|journal=]|date=2003-06-30|first=Nordlinger|last=Jay|coauthors=|volume=|issue=|pages=|id= |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_12_55/ai_103135852/pg_3|format=|accessdate=2007-10-30 }}</ref> | ||
| Waltraud Ernst states that Barret's Quackwatch generate a number of problems that merit further investigation, such as the dismissal of the mental, the cognitive elements, and the complex role psycho-cultural and spiritual forces that play a role in the healing process.<ref name="isbn0-415-23122-1">{{cite book |author=Ernst, Waltraud |title=Plural medicine, tradition and modernity, 1800-2000 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |year=2002 |pages=p.234-6 |isbn=0-415-23122-1 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref>{{verify credibility}} | |||
| == Recognition == | |||
| ⚫ | Sources that |
||
| ⚫ | Quackwatch has been mentioned in the media, reviews and various journals, as well as receiving several awards and honors.<ref name="Awards and Honors"></ref><ref name="ascp">{{cite news | ||
| ⚫ | |first=Bao-Anh | ||
| ⚫ | |last=Nguyen-Khoa | ||
| ⚫ | |title=Selected Web Site Reviews — Quackwatch.com | ||
| ⚫ | |url=http://www.ascp.com/publications/tcp/1999/jul/access.shtml | ||
| ⚫ | |publisher=] | ||
| ⚫ | |date=July 1999 | ||
| ⚫ | |accessdate=2007-01-25 | ||
| ⚫ | |quote=}}</ref> In 1998, Quackwatch was recognized by the '']'' as one of nine "select sites that provide reliable health information and resources."<ref name="JAMA">, ] 280:1380, 1998.</ref> It was also listed as one of three medical sites of '']'s'' "Best of the Web" in 1999:<ref></ref> A web site review by ] states: | ||
| {{quotation|Dr. Stephen Barrett, a psychiatrist, seeks to expose unproven medical treatments and possible unsafe practices through his homegrown but well-organized site. Mostly attacking alternative medicines, homeopathy and chiropractors, the tone here can be rather harsh. However, the lists of sources of health advice to avoid, including books, specific doctors and organizations, are great for the uninformed. Barrett received an FDA Commissioner's Special Citation Award for fighting nutrition quackery in 1984. BEST: Frequently updated, but also archives of relevant articles that date back at least four years. WORST: Lists some specific doctors and organizations without explaining the reason for their selection.<ref name="forbes"></ref>}} | |||
| ⚫ | Quackwatch has also been cited or mentioned by journalists in reports on ],<ref name=kolata">Kolata, Gina (April 1, 1998). '']''</ref> ],<ref name="siwolop">Siwolop, Sana (January 7, 2001). '']''</ref> ]'s baldness treatments,<ref name="eichenwald">Eichenwald, Kurt and Michael Moss (February 6, 2001), . '']'' </ref><ref name=AP>Associated Press (September 13, 2004). </ref><ref> - ]</ref> ],<ref name="fessenden">Fessenden, Ford with Christoper Drew (March 31, 2000). '']''</ref> Robert Barefoot's ] claims,<ref name=jaroff_barefoot>Leon Jaroff, (March 14, 2003), , '']''</ref> ],<ref>. '']''</ref> ],<ref name=Jaroff_shark>Leon Jaroff, (Sep. 29, 2004), , '']''</ref> and ]s.<ref name="Damon">Damon Darlin, (April 8, 2006), , '']''</ref> It has also been referenced in scholarly journals,<ref name="Tom Reynolds"/><ref name="K Schmidt">{{cite news | ||
| ⚫ | |first=K | ||
| |last=Schmidt | |||
| ⚫ | |title=Assessing websites on complementary and alternative medicine for cancer | ||
| |url=http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/15/5/733 | |||
| ⚫ | |work=] | ||
| ⚫ | |publisher=Annals of Oncology | ||
| |date=January 2004 | |||
| ⚫ | |accessdate=2008-02-01 | ||
| ⚫ | |quote=}}</ref> including the '']'', in a news report on the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy.<ref name="Tom Reynolds">Reynolds Tom, , JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002 94(9):646-648 {{doi|id=10.1093/jnci/94.9.646}}</ref> | ||
| == Usefulness as a source == | |||
| ⚫ | Sources that mention Quackwatch.org (formerly .com) as a resource for consumer information include the ],<ref name=USDA>. ]</ref> the ''American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education'',<ref name="AJPE">W Steven Pray. Ethical, Scientific, and Educational Concerns With Unproven Medications. ''American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education''. Alexandria: 2006. Vol. 70, Iss. 6; pg. O1, 14 pgs. <small>Quackwatch is named as a reliable source together with Skeptical Enquirer, specifically for Pharmacy Course on Unproven Medications and Therapies.</small></ref> '']'',<ref name="The Lancet">Marilynn Larkin. Medical quackery squashers on the web. '']''. London: May 16, 1998. Vol. 351, Iss. 9114; pg. 1520 - 2. <small>Names Quackwatch as the premier site for exposing purveyors of health frauds, myths, and fads.</small></ref> the ''Journal of Marketing Education'',<ref name="JME">Lawrence B Chonko. If It Walks like a Duck . . . : Concerns about Quackery in Marketing Education. ''Journal of Marketing Education''. Boulder: Apr 2004. Vol. 26, Iss. 1; pg. 4, 13 pgs. Chonko states <small>“Many of the thoughts on which this article is based are adapted from materials found on this site.” (referring to Quackwatch)</small></ref> the ''Medical Journal of Australia'',<ref name="MJA">Wallace Sampson, Kimball Atwood IV. Propagation of the Absurd: demarcation of the Absurd revisited. ''Medical Journal of Australia''. Pyrmont: Dec 5-Dec 19, 2005. Vol. 183, Iss. 11/12; pg. 580 - 1. <small>Sampson states that “CAM source information tends to exclude well known critical and objective web pages such as those found on Quackwatch (www.quackwatch.org).”</small></ref> the '']'',<ref name="JADA">Eleese Cunningham, Wendy Marcason. Internet hoaxes: How to spot them and how to debunk them. American Dietetic Association. '']''. Chicago: Apr 2001. Vol. 101, Iss. 4; pp. 460 - 1. <small>Cunningham and Marcason state that “Two Web sites that can be useful in determining hoaxes are www.quackwatch.com and www.urbanlegends.com.”</small></ref> the ],<ref name="healthfinder">{{cite news | ||
| |first= | |first= | ||
| |last= | |last= | ||
| Line 123: | Line 151: | ||
| |date= | |date= | ||
| |accessdate=2007-09-18 | |accessdate=2007-09-18 | ||
| |quote=<small>Quackwatch is a very informative site which informs you about health fraud and gives you advice on many decisions.</small>}} |
|quote=<small>Quackwatch is a very informative site which informs you about health fraud and gives you advice on many decisions.</small>}}</ref> and the ].<ref name="Skeptics Dictionary"> | ||
| {{cite news | {{cite news | ||
| |first=Robert Todd | |first=Robert Todd | ||
| Line 243: | Line 271: | ||
| |quote=}}</ref> | |quote=}}</ref> | ||
| A review of the Quackwatch website by ''The Good Web Guide'' states "Quackwatch is without doubt an important and useful information resource and injects a healthy dose of skepticism into reviewing popular health information. Its aim is to investigate questionable claims made in some sectors of what is now a multi-million pound healthcare industry."<ref name="The Good Web Guide"/> Cunningham and Marcason in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association state that “Two Web sites that can be useful in determining hoaxes are www.quackwatch.com and www.urbanlegends.com.”<ref name="JADA"/> Wallace and Kimball, in the Medical Journal of Australia, states that “CAM source information tends to exclude well known critical and objective web pages such as those found on Quackwatch.”<ref name="MJA"/> | |||
| ⚫ | Quackwatch has been mentioned in the media, reviews and various journals, as well as receiving several awards and honors.<ref name="Awards and Honors"></ref><ref name="ascp">{{cite news | ||
| ⚫ | |first=Bao-Anh | ||
| ⚫ | |last=Nguyen-Khoa | ||
| ⚫ | |title=Selected Web Site Reviews — Quackwatch.com | ||
| ⚫ | |url=http://www.ascp.com/publications/tcp/1999/jul/access.shtml | ||
| ⚫ | |publisher=] | ||
| |date=July 1999 | |||
| ⚫ | |accessdate= |
||
| ⚫ | |quote=}}</ref> In 1998, Quackwatch was recognized by the '']'' as one of nine "select sites that provide reliable health information and resources."<ref name="JAMA">, ] 280:1380, 1998.</ref> It was also listed as one of three medical sites of '']'s'' "Best of the Web" in 1999:<ref></ref> A web site review by ] |
||
| ⚫ | The currently inactive Science Panel on Interactive Communication and Health, appointed by the ], named Quackwatch as a credible source for exposing fraudulent online health information in 1999. Dr. Thomas R. Eng, the director of the panel's study, later stated, "The government doesn't endorse Web sites." Still, he said, " is the only site I know of right now looking at issues of fraud and health on the Internet." Barry Chowka, a former adviser to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine panel stated that "Quackwatch.com is consistently provocative and entertaining and occasionally informative" but "feels it is okay for HHS to mention Quackwatch.com as one of many sources.<ref name="Ladd"/><ref name="SciPICH">{{cite news | ||
| ⚫ | Quackwatch has also been cited or mentioned by journalists in reports on ],<ref name=kolata">Kolata, Gina (April 1, 1998). '']''</ref> ],<ref name="siwolop">Siwolop, Sana (January 7, 2001). '']''</ref> ]'s baldness treatments,<ref name="eichenwald">Eichenwald, Kurt and Michael Moss (February 6, 2001), . '']'' </ref><ref name=AP>Associated Press (September 13, 2004). </ref><ref> - ]</ref> ],<ref name="fessenden">Fessenden, Ford with Christoper Drew (March 31, 2000). '']''</ref> Robert Barefoot's ] claims,<ref name=jaroff_barefoot>Leon Jaroff, (March 14, 2003), , '']''</ref> ],<ref>. '']''</ref> ],<ref name=Jaroff_shark>Leon Jaroff, (Sep. 29, 2004), , '']''</ref> and ]s.<ref name="Damon">Damon Darlin, (April 8, 2006), , '']''</ref> It has also been referenced in scholarly journals,<ref name="Tom Reynolds"/><ref name="K Schmidt">{{cite news | ||
| |first= |
|first= | ||
| |last= |
|last= | ||
| ⚫ | |title=Science Panel on Interactive Communication and Health | ||
| ⚫ | |title=Assessing websites on complementary and alternative medicine for cancer | ||
| |url=http:// |
|url=http://www.health.gov/scipich/ | ||
| ⚫ | |work= | ||
| ⚫ | |work=] | ||
| ⚫ | |publisher=] | ||
| ⚫ | |publisher=Annals of Oncology | ||
| |date= |
|date=July 11, 2002 | ||
| |accessdate= |
|accessdate=2007-09-12 | ||
| ⚫ | |quote=}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | |quote=}}</ref> including the '']'', in a news report on the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy.<ref name="Tom Reynolds">Reynolds Tom, , JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002 94(9):646-648 {{doi|id=10.1093/jnci/94.9.646}}</ref |
||
| Bao-Anh Nguyen-Khoa, ], |
Bao-Anh Nguyen-Khoa, ], in a review published in the '']'', discussed two Quackwatch articles on the site that discussed natural remedies available at pharmacies. Quackwatch reported that while pharmacists were doubtful of the efficacy of many alternative medicines, they continued stocking them because the profit margins for such remedies were larger than conventional drugs.<ref name="ascp"/> | ||
| ⚫ | == See also == | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| Waltraud Ernst stated that Barret's Quackwatch generate a number of problems that merit further investigation, such as the dismissal of the mental and cognitive elements, as well as the complex role psycho-cultural and spiritual forces that play a role in the healing process.<ref name="isbn0-415-23122-1">{{cite book |author=Ernst, Waltraud |title=Plural medicine, tradition and modernity, 1800-2000 |publisher=Routledge |location=New York |year=2002 |pages=p.234-6 |isbn=0-415-23122-1 |oclc= |doi= |accessdate=}}</ref> | |||
| Chemistry professor Dr. Joel M. Kauffman reviewed Quackwatch in the controversial '']'', pointing out what he believed to be mistakes, as well as incomplete citations.<ref>Kaufmann, JM. . '']''</ref> Nutritionist ] criticized Barrett in a review of his book ''The Vitamin Pushers'', which is sold on the website. He claimed that Barrett's book hardly discusses supplements but is rather "filled with derisive statements about individuals and organizations in the health care and natural foods industry" and lumps scientists with obvious charlatans indiscriminately.<ref name="colgan">Colgan, M. Review of ''The Vitamin Pushers'', ]s. October 1992, p. 126</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | == See also == | ||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ], ] and ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | |||
| == References == | == References == | ||
| Line 291: | Line 303: | ||
| * - Official website | * - Official website | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 22:12, 1 July 2008
 | This article may be unbalanced toward certain viewpoints. Please improve the article by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the talk page. (May 2008) |
Quackwatch Inc. is an American non-profit organization that aims to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere." Since 1996, it has operated a website, Quackwatch.org, which contains articles and other types of information criticizing many forms of alternative medicine. The site advises the public on unproven or ineffective alternative medicine remedies. Quackwatch has received several awards and has been recognized in the media. Numerous sources cite Quackwatch as a practical source for online consumer information. The site has been regularly criticized by the groups it investigates, such as herbalists, homeopaths and other alternative medicine supporters.
History
Founded in 1969 by Stephen Barrett, M.D., the Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud was incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania in 1970. In 1996, the corporation began the Quackwatch website, and the organization itself was renamed Quackwatch in 1997 as its website attracted attention. Quackwatch is closely affiliated with the National Council Against Health Fraud. Quackwatch now engages the services of 150+ scientific and technical advisors. As of 2003, 67 medical advisors, 12 dental advisors, 13 mental health advisors, 16 nutrition and food science advisors, 3 podiatry advisors, 8 veterinary advisors, and 33 "other scientific and technical advisors" were listed.
Mission and scope
Quackwatch is overseen by Barrett, its chairman, with input from a board of advisors and help from volunteers, including a number of medical professionals. Quackwatch describes its mission as follows:
...investigating questionable claims, answering inquiries about products and services, advising quackery victims, distributing reliable publications, debunking pseudoscientific claims, reporting illegal marketing, improving the quality of health information on the internet, assisting or generating consumer-protection lawsuits, and attacking misleading advertising on the internet.
Quackwatch states that the total cost of operating all of Quackwatch's sites is approximately $7,000 per year with no salaried employees at Quackwatch, Inc. It states that it is funded mainly by small individual donations, commissions from sales on other sites to which they refer, and profits from the sale of publications, and self-funding by Barrett. Stated income also is derived from sponsored links for which they receive a commission on products ordered including Amazon books, ConsumerLab.com, Healthgrades, and Netflix.
About the site
The Quackwatch website contains many essays and researched viewpoints written for the non-specialist consumer by Barrett, other writers, and a board of advisors. The articles discuss health-related products, treatments, enterprises and providers which Quackwatch deems to be misleading, fraudulent or ineffective and include references and links to sources used, as well as to sources for further study.
Quackwatch is especially critical of those therapies that it considers dubious or dangerous, including:
- Acupuncture
- Algae-based therapies
- Amalgam removal within dentistry
- Applied kinesiology
- Alternative medicine
- Ayurvedic medicine
| class="col-break " |
- Candidiasis
- Chinese herbal medicine
- Chiropractic
- Colloidal silver
- Colonic therapy
- Craniosacral therapy
| class="col-break " |
- Dietary supplements
- Embryonic stem cell clinics and Umbilical cord banking
- Ergogenic aids
- Faith healing
- Genetic diagnoses
| class="col-break " |
| class="col-break " |
- Juicing
- Magnet therapy
- Metabolic therapy
- Multiple chemical sensitivity
- Natural Vision Improvement
- Naturopathy
- Organic food
| class="col-break " |
- Orthomolecular medicine
- Osteopathy
- Pneumatic trabeculoplasty
- Reflexology
- Therapeutic touch
The website provides information about specific people who perform, market, and advocate therapies it considers dubious, in many cases providing details of convictions for past marketing fraud. It also maintains lists of sources, individuals, and groups it considers questionable and non-recommendable. This includes two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling (for his claims about mega-doses of Vitamin C), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine, as well as integrative medicine proponent Andrew Weil.
The site is part of a network of related sites, such as Homeowatch (on homeopathy), Credential Watch (devoted to exposing degree mills), Chirobase (specifically devoted to chiropractic, cosponsored by the National Council Against Health Fraud and Victims of Chiropractic,) and others, each devoted to specific topics. Quackwatch.org's articles are reviewed by the medical advisory board upon request and many of its articles cite peer-reviewed research. The site also provides an abundance of links to reliable websites.
The site is also available in German, French, and Portuguese. and also available via several mirrors, including www.quack-watch.org and www.quackwatch.com.
Quackwatch has been criticized by a number of supporters of alternative medicine, such as herbalists, homeopaths and other alternative medicine practitioners. Bao-Anh Nguyen-Khoa wrote, "It appears that Quackwatch.com uses the emotional reaction of its critics to substantiate its position." David Hufford, Professor of Medical Humanities at the Penn State College of Medicine, wrote an opinion paper, asserting that Quackwatch would be more effective if it relied more on research and less on personal beliefs. In regard to the debate over water fluoridation, an anti-fluoridation article in the National Review quotes a "generally informative and persuasive" Quackwatch article, but criticizes its rhetorical style as "perhaps not the best way to win an argument, especially with serious-minded people."
Waltraud Ernst states that Barret's Quackwatch generate a number of problems that merit further investigation, such as the dismissal of the mental, the cognitive elements, and the complex role psycho-cultural and spiritual forces that play a role in the healing process.
Recognition
Quackwatch has been mentioned in the media, reviews and various journals, as well as receiving several awards and honors. In 1998, Quackwatch was recognized by the Journal of the American Medical Association as one of nine "select sites that provide reliable health information and resources." It was also listed as one of three medical sites of U.S. News & World Report's "Best of the Web" in 1999: A web site review by Forbes magazine states:
Dr. Stephen Barrett, a psychiatrist, seeks to expose unproven medical treatments and possible unsafe practices through his homegrown but well-organized site. Mostly attacking alternative medicines, homeopathy and chiropractors, the tone here can be rather harsh. However, the lists of sources of health advice to avoid, including books, specific doctors and organizations, are great for the uninformed. Barrett received an FDA Commissioner's Special Citation Award for fighting nutrition quackery in 1984. BEST: Frequently updated, but also archives of relevant articles that date back at least four years. WORST: Lists some specific doctors and organizations without explaining the reason for their selection.
Quackwatch has also been cited or mentioned by journalists in reports on therapeutic touch, Vitamin O, Almon Glenn Braswell's baldness treatments, dietary supplements, Robert Barefoot's coral calcium claims, noni juice, shark cartilage, and infomercials. It has also been referenced in scholarly journals, including the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, in a news report on the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy.
Usefulness as a source
Sources that mention Quackwatch.org (formerly .com) as a resource for consumer information include the United States Department of Agriculture, the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, The Lancet, the Journal of Marketing Education, the Medical Journal of Australia, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the Diet Channel, and the Skeptic’s Dictionary. Websites of libraries across the Unites States of America, include links to Quackwatch as a source for consumer information. In addition, nutrition associations link to Quackwatch.
A review of the Quackwatch website by The Good Web Guide states "Quackwatch is without doubt an important and useful information resource and injects a healthy dose of skepticism into reviewing popular health information. Its aim is to investigate questionable claims made in some sectors of what is now a multi-million pound healthcare industry." Cunningham and Marcason in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association state that “Two Web sites that can be useful in determining hoaxes are www.quackwatch.com and www.urbanlegends.com.” Wallace and Kimball, in the Medical Journal of Australia, states that “CAM source information tends to exclude well known critical and objective web pages such as those found on Quackwatch.”
The currently inactive Science Panel on Interactive Communication and Health, appointed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, named Quackwatch as a credible source for exposing fraudulent online health information in 1999. Dr. Thomas R. Eng, the director of the panel's study, later stated, "The government doesn't endorse Web sites." Still, he said, " is the only site I know of right now looking at issues of fraud and health on the Internet." Barry Chowka, a former adviser to the National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine panel stated that "Quackwatch.com is consistently provocative and entertaining and occasionally informative" but "feels it is okay for HHS to mention Quackwatch.com as one of many sources.
Bao-Anh Nguyen-Khoa, PharmD, in a review published in the The Consultant Pharmacist, discussed two Quackwatch articles on the site that discussed natural remedies available at pharmacies. Quackwatch reported that while pharmacists were doubtful of the efficacy of many alternative medicines, they continued stocking them because the profit margins for such remedies were larger than conventional drugs.
See also
- Consumer protection
- Conventional medicine, alternative medicine and evidence-based medicine
- Medical ethics
- Quackery
- Scientific skepticism
References
- ^ Barrett SJ. "Quackwatch - Mission Statement". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12. Cite error: The named reference "mission" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- Barrett SJ. "Quackwatch.org main page". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- ^ The Good Web Guide. Retrieved on September 14, 2007.
- Politzer, M. Eastern Medicine Goes West. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on September 14, 2007.
- Baldwin, Fred D. "If It Quacks Like a Duck ..." MedHunters. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- ^ Quackwatch: Awards and honors
- ^ Jaroff, Leon (April 30, 2001). "The Man Who Loves To Bust Quacks". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2007-08-16.
- Pennsylvania Department of State — Corporations
- "Quackwatch home page". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-11-04.
- Barrett SJ. "Scientific and technical advisors". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- Rosen, Marjorie (October 1998). "Interview with Stephen Barrett, M.D." Biography Magazine. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Barrett, Stephen. "Quackwatch — listing criticisms of several practices". Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions. Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
- Barrett, S. "Algae: False Claims and Hype" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- Barrett, S. "The "Mercury Toxicity" Scam: How Anti-Amalgamists Swindle People" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- ^ Barrett, S. "Be Wary of "Alternative" Health Methods" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- Barrett, S. "Be Wary of Acupuncture, Qigong, and "Chinese Medicine"" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- ^ Barrett, S. "Don't Let Chiropractors Fool You" Retrieved 27 November 2007
- Barrett, S. "Gastrointestinal Quackery: Colonics, Laxatives, and More" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- ^ Barrett, S. ""Dietary Supplements," Herbs, and Hormones" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- ^ Barrett, S. "The Shady Side of Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- Barrett, S. "The Herbal Minefield" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- Barrett, S. "Homeopathy: The Ultimate Fake" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- Eye-Related Quackery
- Barrett, S. "A Close Look at Naturopathy" Retrieved 17 July 2007
- Barrett SJ. "Nonrecommended Sources of Health Advice". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- Barrett SJ. "Questionable Organizations: An Overview". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- Barrett SJ. "The Dark Side of Linus Pauling's Legacy". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- Relamn AS. "A Trip to Stonesville: Some Notes on Andrew Weil". New Republic. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- Barrett SJ. "Homeowatch". Homeowatch. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- Credential Watch available online
- Chirobase available online
- Victims of Chiropractic available online
- There are 22 web sites affiliated with Quackwatch.
- "Cutting through the haze of health marketing claims". Thomson Gale. Running & Fitnews. Sept-Oct, 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Quackwatch auf Deutsch
- Quackwatch en Français
- Quackwatch em Português
- www.quack-watch.org
- www.quackwatch.com
- ^ Dr. Who? Diagnosing Medical Fraud May Require a Second Opinion. by Donna Ladd, The Village Voice, June 23 - 29, 1999. Retrieved September 2, 2006
- ^ Hufford DJ. David J Hufford, "Symposium article: Evaluating Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Limits of Science and Scientists." J Law, Medicine & Ethics, 31 (2003): 198-212. Hufford's symposium presentation was the counterpoint for another doctor's presentation, which argued that "alternative medicine" is not medicine at all. See Lawrence J. Schneiderman, "Symposium article: The (Alternative) Medicalization of Life." J Law, Medicine & Ethics, 31 (2003): 191-198.
- ^ Nguyen-Khoa, Bao-Anh (July 1999). "Selected Web Site Reviews — Quackwatch.com". The Consultant Pharmacist. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
- "Fluoridation: Don't Let the Poisonmongers Scare You!" Article adapted from The Health Robbers: A Close Look at Quackery in America, Bob Sprague, Mary Bernhardt, Stephen Barrett, M.D.
- Jay, Nordlinger (2003-06-30). "Water Fights: Believe It or Not, the Fluoridation War Still Rages -- with a Twist You May Like". National Review. Retrieved 2007-10-30.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Ernst, Waltraud (2002). Plural medicine, tradition and modernity, 1800-2000. New York: Routledge. pp. p.234-6. ISBN 0-415-23122-1.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help) - JAMA Patient Page - Click here: How to find reliable online health information and resources, Journal of the American Medical Association 280:1380, 1998.
- U.S. News & World Report: The Best of The Web Gets Better
- Forbes.com, Best of the Web website reviews: Quackwatch.
- Kolata, Gina (April 1, 1998). A Child's Paper Poses a Medical Challenge. The New York Times
- Siwolop, Sana (January 7, 2001). Back Pain? Arthritis? Step Right Up to the Mouse. The New York Times
- Eichenwald, Kurt and Michael Moss (February 6, 2001), Pardon for Subject of Inquiry Worries Prosecutors. The New York Times
- Associated Press (September 13, 2004). Man Once Pardoned By Clinton Again Faces Prison.
- Another Dubious Pardon - U.S. News & World Report
- Fessenden, Ford with Christoper Drew (March 31, 2000). Bottom Line in Mind, Doctors Sell Ephedra. The New York Times
- Leon Jaroff, (March 14, 2003), Coral Calcium: A Barefoot Scam, Time magazine
- Noni Juice Might Lower Smokers' Cholesterol. Forbes magazine
- Leon Jaroff, (Sep. 29, 2004), Medical Sharks, Time magazine
- Damon Darlin, (April 8, 2006), Words to Live By in Infomercial World: Caveat Emptor, The New York Times
- ^ Reynolds Tom, White House Report on Alternative Medicine Draws Criticism, JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2002 94(9):646-648 Error: Bad DOI specified!
- Schmidt, K (January 2004). "Assessing websites on complementary and alternative medicine for cancer". Oxford University Press. Annals of Oncology. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
- Fraud and Nutrition Misinformation: Dietary Guidance. Nutrition Information on the Internet. United States Department of Agriculture
- W Steven Pray. Ethical, Scientific, and Educational Concerns With Unproven Medications. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. Alexandria: 2006. Vol. 70, Iss. 6; pg. O1, 14 pgs. Quackwatch is named as a reliable source together with Skeptical Enquirer, specifically for Pharmacy Course on Unproven Medications and Therapies.
- Marilynn Larkin. Medical quackery squashers on the web. The Lancet. London: May 16, 1998. Vol. 351, Iss. 9114; pg. 1520 - 2. Names Quackwatch as the premier site for exposing purveyors of health frauds, myths, and fads.
- Lawrence B Chonko. If It Walks like a Duck . . . : Concerns about Quackery in Marketing Education. Journal of Marketing Education. Boulder: Apr 2004. Vol. 26, Iss. 1; pg. 4, 13 pgs. Chonko states “Many of the thoughts on which this article is based are adapted from materials found on this site.” (referring to Quackwatch)
- ^ Wallace Sampson, Kimball Atwood IV. Propagation of the Absurd: demarcation of the Absurd revisited. Medical Journal of Australia. Pyrmont: Dec 5-Dec 19, 2005. Vol. 183, Iss. 11/12; pg. 580 - 1. Sampson states that “CAM source information tends to exclude well known critical and objective web pages such as those found on Quackwatch (www.quackwatch.org).”
- ^ Eleese Cunningham, Wendy Marcason. Internet hoaxes: How to spot them and how to debunk them. American Dietetic Association. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Chicago: Apr 2001. Vol. 101, Iss. 4; pp. 460 - 1. Cunningham and Marcason state that “Two Web sites that can be useful in determining hoaxes are www.quackwatch.com and www.urbanlegends.com.”
- "U.S. Department of Health & Human Services". healthfinder.gov. National Health Information Center. Retrieved 2007-09-12.Quackwatch is available from their database.
- "Diet Channel Award Review Of Quackwatch". Retrieved 2007-09-18.
Quackwatch is a very informative site which informs you about health fraud and gives you advice on many decisions.
- Carroll, Robert Todd (January 29, 2008). ""alternative" health practice". Skeptic’s Dictionary. Retrieved 2008-02-02.
- "Southwest Public Libraries". Retrieved 2007-09-12.
• "National Network of Libraries of Medicine". Evaluating Health Web Sites, Consumer Health Manual. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
• "VCU Libraries". Complementary and Alternative Medicine Resource Guide — Fraud and Quackery Resources. Virginia Commonwealth University. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
• "Rutgers University Libraries". Finding What You Want on the Web: A Guide. Rutgers University Libraries. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
• "USC Libraries — Electronic Resources — Quackwatch". University of Southern California. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
• "Medical Center Library". University of Kentucky Libraries. Retrieved 2007-09-12. - "Research". Texas Dietetic Association. November 6, 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
• "Nutrition Resources". Illinois Dietetic Association. 2005. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
• "Links". Greater New York Dietetic Association. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
• "Nutrition Links". Maryland Dietetic Association. Retrieved 2008-02-01.
• "Professional Resources — Health Quackery". American Dietetic Association. Diabetes Care and Education. 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-01. - "Science Panel on Interactive Communication and Health". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). July 11, 2002. Retrieved 2007-09-12.
Further reading
- Paranormal Claims: A Critical Analysis, 2007, edited by Bryan Farha, University Press of America, ISBN 978-0-7618-3772-5. Three of the eighteen chapters are reprints of Quackwatch articles.
External links
- Quackwatch.org - Official website