Stephen Barrett, M.D. Curriculum Vitae

Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Curriculum Vitae

Personal Data

Address: Chatham Crossing, Suite 107/208; 11312 U.S. 15 501 North; Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Email: Click here
Telephone: (919) 533-6009.
Born: New York City, 1933
Married, three children, five grandchildren
Wife, Judith Nevyas Barrett, M.D., is a retired family practitioner.

Education and Training

A.B., Columbia University, 6/54
M.D., Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, 6/57
Completed rotating internship, Highland Park General Hospital (Michigan) 6/58
Completed 3-year psychiatric residency at Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, 6/61
Correspondence course in American Law and Procedure, LaSalle University Extension Division, Chicago (1 1/2 years completed), 12/66-12/68

Professional Experience

Chief, Psychiatric Service, Scott Air Force Base Hospital, Illinois, 8/61-7/63
Psychiatrist, San Francisco Juvenile Court, 7/63-8/67
Psychiatrist, San Francisco Child Psychiatry Clinic, 7/63-1/66
Private practice of psychiatry, 8/63-12/93
Consultant, San Francisco Department of Welfare, 8/64-7/65
Consultant, school nurses, San Francisco Public Health Department, 8/65-12/65
Consultant, Parks Job Corps Camp, 12/65-1/66
Psychiatrist, Center For Special Problems, 2/66-8/67
Consultant, San Francisco Adult Probation Department, 8/66-8/67
Staff Psychiatrist, Allentown State Hospital, 9/67-7/77
Consultant, Pa. Board of Probation and Parole (research project), 11/67-2/69
Consultant, Lehigh Valley Mental Health Association, 12/67-2/69
Consultant, Lutheran Children's Home, 2/68-6/72
Psychiatrist, Allentown Hospital Psychiatric Clinic, 4/68-6/90
Consultant, Pastoral Institute of the Lehigh Valley, 11/68-1/71
Consultant, Allentown Counseling Center for Alcoholism, 6/69-6/72
Consultant, Lehigh University Centennial School, 1/70-3/77
Psychiatrist, Muhlenberg Medical Center Psychiatric Clinic, 6/71-6/86
Medical Director, Haven House (partial hospitalization program), 8/76-6/87
Consultant, Allentown Police Department (evaluation of police candidates), 8/80-3/85
Medical Director, NewVitae Partial Hospitalization Program, 8/90-3/91

Memberships and Appointments (Medical)

Chairman, Quackery Committee, Lehigh County Medical Society, 10/69-12/80
Chairman, Board of Directors, Quackwatch, Inc. (originally called Lehigh Valley Committee Against Health Fraud, Inc.), 6/70-7/08
Member, Board of Trustees, Lehigh Valley Opportunity Center (half-way house for paroled offenders), 7/70-5/72
Member, Committee on Health Fraud, Pennsylvania Health Council, 7/72-12/74
Member, Committee on Quackery, Pennsylvania Medical Society, 12/73-12/79
Member, Board of Advisors, California Council Against Health Fraud, Inc, 12/77-8/84
Member, Board of Scientific Advisors, American Council on Science and Health, 4/78-
Consultant on Unproven Health Practices, Pennsylvania Medical Society Council on Education and Science, 12/79-12/84
Committee for the Scientific Investigation (originally called CSICOP)
- Scientific consultant, 7/80-
- Co-chairman, Health Claims Subcommittee, 7/80-
- Member, Council for Media Integrity, 7/96-
Member, Advisory Board, Children's Health Care Is A Legal Duty (CHILD), 2/83-
National Council Against Health Fraud, Inc. (NCAHF),
- Member, Board of Directors, 9/84-
- Vice President, 9/00-
- Director of Internet Operations, 9/00-4/07
Treasurer, Nutrition Council of Pennsylvania, 1/85-6/87
Member, Steering Committee, Citizens for Children's Dental Health (Allentown), 2/98-6/00
Member, NIH Special Emphasis Panel (to evaluate alternative medicine research proposals), 3/98-4/98
Member, ad hoc advisory group, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, 10/98-
Member, Advisory Board, National Center for Fluoridation Policy and Research, 10/98-
Member, Advisory Board, Association for Science in Autism Treatment, 11/99-
Member, Council for Scientific Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, 6/00-5/03
Fellow, Council for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health, 5/03-
Advisory Board Member, Center for Inquiry Office of Public Policy. 7/06-
Vice President, Institute for Science in Medicine, 10/09-
University of North Carolina Medicine Clinic Advisory Panel, 2/10-

Memberships and Appointments (Journalistic)

Medical Consultant, WFMZ-TV, Allentown, 5/79-6/89
Member, Medical Advisory Board, National Health (a consumer newspaper), 9/79-1/80
Medical Editor, George F. Stickley Co., Philadelphia, 8/80-12/88
Consumer Health Editor, Nautilus Magazine, 7/81-6/84
Consulting Editor, ACSH News and Views, 10/81-6/88
Health Editor, Our Age (newspaper of the National Alliance of Senior Citizens), 5/82-6/83
Contributing Editor, Environmental Nutrition Newsletter, 9/82-3/84
Editorial Advisor, Shape Magazine, 9/82-4/94
Science and Health Editor, Inside Radio, 10/82-8/83
Editor, Nutrition Forum Newsletter, 1/84-12/93
Editorial Consultant, Nutrition Forum, 1/94-9/00
Member, Editorial Advisory Board, Rx Being Well, 5/84-10/87
Consumer Affairs Editor, Healthline Newsletter, 3/85-9/00
Editorial Consultant, Prevention Magazine, 3/86-1/93
Editorial Advisory Board, Healthy Weight Journal, 6/87-12/03
Member, Society of Professional Journalists, 6/87-3/89
Member, National Association of Science Writers, 11/87-12/97
Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc, 2/89-12/98
Medical Editor, Prometheus Books, 2/91-
Editorial Advisory Board, The Diet Busine$$ Bulletin, 5/92-7/94
Contributing Editor, The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, 6/97-
Member, Editorial Board, Science & Pseudoscience Review in Mental Health, 2/00-
Editor, Consumer Health Digest, 11/00-

Memberships and Appointments (Internet-Related)

Member, Internet Healthcare Coalition, 10/97-12/99
Member, Editorial Board, Medical Web Search, 6/98-12/00
Member, Editorial Board, MedScape/MedGenMed, 5/99-2/05
Member, Editorial Board, MD net guide, 8/99-3/02
Participant member, Fraud Defense Network, 11/99-11/01
Member, Editorial Board, Family Medicine net guide, 2/00-5/02
Member CBS HealthWatch Physicians Network, 3/00-12/02
Weekly columnist ("Alternative Medicine: A Skeptical Look"), Canoe 4/00-5/02
Consumer Empowerment Advisor, PlanetFeedback, 4/00-3/01
Advisory Board, Pyramid Scheme Alert, 10/00-

Memberships and Appointments (Academic)

Instructor in Health Education, The Pennsylvania State University, 5/87-6/89
Inststructor, Duke University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute program, 9/09-10/09

Journal Peer Review (Panelist or Occasional Manuscript Reviewer)

Annals of Internal Medicine
Journal of the American Medical Association
Medscape General Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine
Nutrition Research
Topics in Clinical Nutrition
The Western Journal of Medicine

Honors and Awards (Academic, Professional, and Public Service)

Pulitzer Scholar, Columbia University, 1950-54
Freshman Chemistry Prize, Columbia College, 1951
Lehigh Valley Dental Society's Dr. Francis J. Trembley Outstanding Citizen Award for "decisive contributions dedicated to the betterment of oral medicine," 1975
Mediquiz Contest National Award (Resident Physician magazine), 1960
FDA Commissioner's Special Citation for "outstanding and consistent contributions against the proliferation of nutrition quackery to the American consumer," 1984
Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, Lehigh Valley Dietetic Association, 1986-
Honorary Member Award, American Dietetic Association, 1986-
Fellow, Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), 1992-
Annals of Internal Medicine: Editors' commendation ("top 10%") for quality and timeliness of reviews in 1999
Distinguished Service to Health Education Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the health and well-being of mankind through health education." American Association for Health Education, 2001
Listed in Marquis Who's Who in the East, 1993-
Listed in Marquis Who's Who in America, 2001-
Listed in Marquis Who's Who in Science and Engineering, 2001-
Listed in Marquis Who's Who in the World, 2002-
Listed in Marquis Who's Who in Medicine and Health Care, 2002-
Listed in Marquis Who's Who in American Education, 2006-

Honors and Awards (Quackwatch)

Journal of the American Medical Association: One of nine "select sites that provide reliable health information and resources," 1998
U.S. News & World Reports: Best of the Web (one of three medical sites), 1999
Oncolink Editor's Choice, 1999
Britannica Internet Guide Award, 2000
Forbes "Best of the Web," 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
"Nettie" Award for best Web site operated by an individual physician in 2002. MD net guide, 2003.
Other Honors and Awards

Athletic Achievements (Swimming)

Columbia University: Freshman team, 1950-51; varsity, 1951-53
Allentown JCC "Channel Swim": winner and age-group recordholder, 1959
North Carolina Senior Games (state championships)
- 2008: Two gold medals, one bronze
- 2009: Four silver medals, one bronze
North Carolina Short Course Championships (Masters swimming, 2009): Won five events.
North Carolina Fall Brawl (Masters swimming, 2009): Won three events.

Other Activities and Achievements

Eagle Scout, 1950
American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor, 1952
Life Master, American Contract Bridge League, 1959
Captain, United States Air Force: Active duty, 1961-1963

Biographical Sketch || Books and Book Chapters

This page was revised on August 11, 2010.