Robert Barefoot

Robert R. Barefoot (born 1944) is a controversial alternative medicine proponent who advocates the use of coral calcium through his books, lectures, audiotapes and infomercials.

Background

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, he graduated with Honors from Northern Alberta Institute of Technology with a diploma in chemical research technology. He now lives in Wickenburg, Arizona.

Barefoot has researched enhanced hydrocarbon and metal extraction in the mining industry for which he obtained several international patents. He has also published numerous research papers on mineral diagenesis and analytical chemistry. Barefoot's research with Dr. Carl Reich on terminal cancer patients led Barefoot to write one of his best-selling books, "The Calcium Factor." [http://www.robertbarefoot.com/t-RobertBarefoot.aspx RobertBarefoot.com] ] The book has been ranked in Amazon's top 500 sales listings.

Until 2004, he presented his products in an infomercial hosted by Kevin Trudeau.

Litigation

When the Maryland attorney general brought a case against the marketers of T-Up, an unproven cancer and AIDS treatment, Maryland Attorney General (May 10, 2000). [http://www.oag.state.md.us/Press/pr356.htm Curran Orders Aloe Company to Stop "Miracle Cure" Claims and to Pay Restitution and $3.7 Million in Civil Penalties.] ] Barefoot was called upon to be an expert witness on the use of caesium chloride on humans in conjunction with high pH therapy but was dismissed based on his lack of professional training and research in this particular area. Rodowsky J. [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/marylandstatecases/cosa/2002/64s01.pdf Opinion in T-Up, Inc, et al. v. Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General.] In the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, No. 0064, September Term, 2001.] POVassertion

Criticism

According to a critical Time magazine article by Leon Jaroff, "The monthly cost of the recommended dose of Barefoot's calcium tablets is some 15 times greater than that of the ordinary drug store variety." Jaroff called Barefoot's marketing of coral calcium "one of the more successful scams of our age" and "sheer nonsense," and labeled him a "huckster". He ended his article with a call for intervention by the FDA:

: "When are the chickens ever going to come home to roost? Barefoot has been getting away with this scam for years, conning his naive audience, and presumably enriching himself along the way. Isn't it well past time for the Federal Trade Commission to step in?"Jaroff, Leon (Mar. 14, 2003). [http://www.time.com/time/columnist/jaroff/article/0,9565,433084,00.html Coral Calcium: A Barefoot Scam.] "Time"]

References

External links

* [http://www.barefootscureamerica.com/index.htm Barefoot's website]
* [http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/coral.html Be Wary of Coral Calcium and Robert Barefoot]
* [http://my.dietpower.com/features/coral_calcium.php Beat Cancer the Barefoot Way] – Piping Hot from DietPower, June 2003