Legislation 
The European Union is passing laws which will make it more difficult for us to take care of our own health in a manner we think best. "Consumer protection" is the apparent justification for taking away such "dangerous" things as herbs that have been used for millennia and vitamins or other nutrients that help us ward off disease. Two campaign sites for protecting our health freedom you might want to visit:
http://www.alliance-natural-health.org
http://www.laleva.cc
But trouble is brewing internationally - Europe is not alone. Codex Alimentarius, an international Food Standard Setting Body is after vitamins and minerals, discussing restrictive legislation. Canada, Australia, the USA are all on the same path.
Is there an international move (let's avoid the word 'conspiracy') to narrow down our alternative health options? You be the judge.
January 18, 2013
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The European Union on Tuesday took the debate about genetically modified crops to the public with a survey asking citizens to share their thoughts on organic farming, reports Phys.org in a recent article titled EU asks citizens to join debate on GM food
Image credit: americanoverkill.com
The article continues ... The bloc's 500 million consumers are invited to complete an anonymous online questionnaire on the European Commission's Agriculture and Rural Development website (ec.europa.eu/agriculture/consultations/organic/2013_en.htm). The consultation, which ends on April 10, is part of a review of European policy on organic agriculture.
The survey is available in all official EU languages. English is the one linked here, but other languages are available from a drop-down menu at the top of the page.
The Phys.org article, putting emphasis on the GM angle, goes on to say...
Continue reading "European Union seeks consumer input on organic agriculture"
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Friday January 18 2013
updated on Thursday January 26 2017
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August 30, 2008
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Nutrition is of course what happens when we eat, but there is a very scientific side to nutrition that counts infinitesimal quantities of certain vital substances. Without these vital 'vitamins' and minerals we just can't survive. Our bodies fall ill and refuse to function. Those are serious deficiency diseases like scurvy, a sure killer that comes after weeks and months of little or no vitamin C.
Nothing like an orange just from the tree - Image: Sepp
The quantities of nutrients that allow us to avoid deficiency diseases are called the RDA - recommended dietary allowances and, more recently, RDI or reference daily intakes.
Much research however has shown that RDAs cannot protect against the slow onset of degenerative diseases which have become major killers in our Western societies. It would seem, therefore, that lawmaking should put less emphasis on RDAs and more on a measure of optimal health by nutrition.
Two Dutch scientists, Dr Jaap Hanekamp and Prof Aalt Bast have published an article where they argue for a change in focus of the RDA from avoiding known and certain deficiencies to actually providing the optimal amounts of nutrients for good health.
Wish the European Commission and national health authorities would pay attention.
Here are some excerpts and a link to the article in full.
Continue reading "From Avoiding Deficiency to Optimal Health - RDA Focus 'Must Change'"
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Saturday August 30 2008
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August 12, 2008
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Codex Alimentarius, a UN World Health Organization initiative charged with working out standards for foods, has come under public criticism for lending its clout to the big industry game of establishing a global food market.
While a global market does not seem bad at first sight, it is a very fragile market. Recent increases in grain prices led to hunger and food riots in poor countries. A global market is an easily controlled market and it is the direct antithesis of food security. The future of a country's food supply should be one of the first considerations when establishing food policy. Yet, Codex and the World Trade Organization give it no thought.
The agenda of global "free trade" is good for multinational companies, but it is less good for local food production. in many of the developing countries, local agriculture has been ruined by cheap imports and those countries have become dependent on imported staples which they now find cost double or triple the price they first paid. Genetically modified organisms and a concentration of seed producers into a near monopoly situation further lock in that control mechanism.
Codex is right in the middle of this through its strategic task of drafting international food laws. When Codex Alimentarius says genetically modified foods or certain chemical additives are ok, it becomes very difficult for any country to prove they are damaging to health, or to simply be cautious on behalf of its population.
In recent years, the issue of Nutrition and Health was taken up by Codex. The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses discussed food supplements and passed a guideline. Unfortunately, like in the case of GM foods and additives, the outcome was less than consumer friendly. In Codex, industry always wins, and in this case, the interests of the pharmaceutical industry to suppress the competing health interventions of cheap nutrition-based remedies and prevention, took a huge step forward.
How Codex works and what happened on the supplements issue is the subject of this article.
Continue reading "Codex Alimentarius: Globalizing Food and Health"
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Tuesday August 12 2008
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May 07, 2008
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On April 8th, Canada’s Minister of Health, Tony Clement, introduced Bill C-51 into the House of Commons. If passed, that bill will drastically alter the current Food and Drugs Act, and that will be bad news for many Canadians. According to an article on the Common Ground website, "expectations are that if Federal Bill C-51 is passed, around 75 percent of new applications will most likely fail to meet new requirements."
Canada has traditionally been liberal, favoring availability of nutrient-containing products to people wishing to use vitamins and minerals for their preventive or even curative health needs. But some time in the 90s, a world wide campaign was started to curtail the use of nutritional supplements in health care in favor of pharmaceutical medicines.
The US FDA's intention to limit vitamin dosages to RDA levels was blocked by an overwhelming consumer driven campaign which eventually resulted in liberal legislation, the so-called Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1993/94. In Europe, the early 90s saw the first attempt to pass a food supplements law, which after some delay was issued in 2004 as the Food Supplements Directive. Codex Alimentarius started talking about limiting supplements in 1994. More recently, Australia and New Zealand were supposed to harmonize in the direction of Australia's restrictive model which considers supplements "therapeutic goods" or medicines. New Zealand has successfully resisted so far. In Canada, there was resistance to change and finally a parliamentary committee was charged with finding a way to control supplements.
Shawn Buckley's Common Ground article gives some specifics on what happened before the introduction of the recent bill:
On November 4, 1998, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health tabled its report, titled “Natural Health Products: A New Vision”. The report contained 53 recommendations, all of which were accepted by the Government on March 2, 1999. The first recommendation read that "Health Canada, in conjunction with a new separate Natural Health Products Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) should set out an appropriate definition of natural health products (NHPs) and amend the Food and Drugs Act accordingly." However, for expediency, a regulatory definition was created and implemeted instead of amending the law; Natural Health Products (NHPs) would be considered as drugs under the Food and Drugs Act. In Health Canada's page of Frequently Asked Questions, the following response was given for the question of why the Act was not amended:
"While creating another category distinct from both food and drugs was considered, an amendment at the level of the Act would have been necessary. Due to the timelines and legislative process required for a change of this magnitude, it was decided that natural health products would be considered drugs under the Act, but with a set of regulations specific to NHPs."
In effect, Health Canada is stating that they chose not to implement the direction of the government, but there was a good reason - amending the Act would take a long time and be a lot of work. However, on April 8, 2008, the Minister of Health introduced Bill C-51, An act to amend the Food and Drugs Act. This legislation introduces new definitions, including a new product category called "therapeutic products", a term that encompasses drugs, medical devices and cells used for therapeutic purposes. Despite there being an opportunity to amend the Act, an opportunity to amend definitions in the Act and include a decade-old Government directive to include Natural Health Products as a separate legal category, drafters of the bill chose not to. The question remains: why?
In effect, parliamentary deliberations were held in Canada and the results published, but the recommendations were disregarded. Did they simply not fit the broader agenda which commenced in the early 90s, of doing away with supplements as a competing approach to pharmaceuticals world wide in public health systems?
Continue reading "Canada: Bill C-51 threatens natural health products"
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Wednesday May 7 2008
updated on Friday June 26 2009
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European Union seeks consumer input on organic agriculture
January 18, 2013
From Avoiding Deficiency to Optimal Health - RDA Focus 'Must Change'
August 30, 2008
Codex Alimentarius: Globalizing Food and Health
August 12, 2008
Canada: Bill C-51 threatens natural health products
May 07, 2008
EU Scientific Committee: Mercury in dental fillings 'no danger'
April 03, 2008
Will Europe Restrict Herbs, Vegetable Extracts?
February 25, 2008
Codex Alimentarius Moves Closer to European Blueprint on Supplements
November 19, 2007
EU Commissioner Kyprianou shrugs off Consumer Concerns over Nutrients
October 31, 2007
Proposed European 'Nutrient Safety Levels' Not Fit For Purpose
October 24, 2007
Codex Alimentarius: Will EU Laws Become World Standard?
October 15, 2007
Should We Discard Herbal Medicine - Unless Provided by Pharma?
October 08, 2007
Codex Alimentarius: Corporations Forge Global Food Rules
July 04, 2007
FDA and Pharma's death toll - Reform or Business as usual?
June 14, 2007
European Food Regulation and 'Intended Normal Use'
May 04, 2007
S1082: Will FDA Do Away With Pharma's Competition?
April 26, 2007
EU Food Supplements Directive: Scientists Challenge Philosophy of Precaution
April 04, 2007
Health Alliance To Test European Supplements Directive
March 21, 2007
Are Food Labels Too Complicated?
February 21, 2007
Europe Relaxes Herbal Medicines Rule for Ayurvedic Herbs
February 10, 2007
Health Supreme NewsGrabs - 31 January 2007
January 31, 2007
Europe Sharply Divided over Vitamin Supplements
December 06, 2006
Dental Association Says Fluoride in Water Mottles Babies' Teeth
November 13, 2006
Codex Alimentarius Meets In Thailand: Industry More Important Than Consumer Health
November 08, 2006
'Proactionary' Principle Shows Limits of Precaution
October 25, 2006
New Zealand Coroners Investigation: Natural Medicines Safest Way To Health
October 13, 2006
Supplements: Consumer Advocates, Scientists, Criticize EU Approach
October 03, 2006
S 3546 Adverse Event Reporting Bill - A Trojan Horse?
September 17, 2006
The Dark Side of Precaution: Preventing Prevention
July 09, 2006
The Tyranny Of Good Intentions - Cherries Are Good For You
July 05, 2006
Alaska Supreme Court Moves To Protect Psychiatric Patient Rights
July 02, 2006
FDA Sued Over GM Food Labels - But US Consumers Strangely Unconcerned
June 16, 2006
FDA Sued: Regulate Toxic Mercury 'Silver' Dental Fillings
June 14, 2006
Testing Pesticides on Children? Industry Helped Bush Write Law
June 08, 2006
Codex: FDA 'Vetoes' Optimal Nutrition For Health
June 04, 2006
European Supplement Rules Distort Economy, Endanger Health
May 10, 2006
Legislation Proposed to Ban Drug Advertising in U.S.
May 09, 2006
EU Food Watchdog Whitewashing Aspartame: Cancers 'Not Due To Sweetener'
May 05, 2006
Codex Alimentarius Urged To Support Diet, Nutrition, Prevention
April 27, 2006
Homocysteine and Heart Disease - Patenting a Thought?
March 22, 2006
WTO Orders: Europeans Eat GMO - Africans Next In Line Vow To Resist
February 09, 2006
WHO 'Nutrient Risk Assessment' Based On Flawed Premise
February 08, 2006
Codex Committee In Germany Weighs Vitamin Restrictions
November 26, 2005
HR 1790: House Passes Bill Protecting Children From Forced Psychiatric Medication
November 24, 2005
HR 4282: Act Aims To Revolutionize Nutritional Health Information
November 16, 2005
Codex Alimentarius: No Emphasis On Nutrients
October 29, 2005
Food Supplements: Too Much Precaution May Be Bad For Your Health
October 13, 2005
Danish Court Reaffirms Freedom Of Speech For 'Radio Doctor'
October 10, 2005
Australia/New Zealand - Therapeutic Goods Bill To Eliminate 'Unapproved' Cancer Cures
October 08, 2005
Food Safety: Codex Backs World GM Experiment - Could AFRICA Be Control?
September 15, 2005
H.R. 3156 To Tighten Supplement Safety Rules - But Why Only Supplements?
July 26, 2005
Supplements: EU Court Decision Will Preserve Wide Choice Says ANH
July 15, 2005
European Court Decides: Food Supplements Directive May Go Ahead
July 12, 2005
Codex Alimentarius Adopts Vitamin Guidelines
July 04, 2005
Globalizing Health - Documentary Exposes Codex, FDA, WTO Agenda
June 29, 2005
Scientific Study to Crack 'Black Box' Supplement Regulations
June 27, 2005
Tea Tree Oil: EU Science Committee Challenged
June 22, 2005
EU Court of Justice to Decide Fate of Supplements in Europe
June 18, 2005
FDA Suppressed Vital Drug Safety Information
June 12, 2005
Codex Alimentarius To Approve 'Vitamin Guidelines'
June 10, 2005
Medical Marijuana: US Supreme Court Upholds Federal Prohibition
June 07, 2005
Pharma Lobbies to Drug Kids in Schools - Citizens Resisting
May 11, 2005
Australia, New Zealand - Codex Alimentarius and Trans-Tasman Harmonization
May 09, 2005
Senate Bill To Limit Pharma Liability for Mercury Poisoning
April 23, 2005
European Health Legislation, Codex And The Sustainability Of Health Care
April 20, 2005
WHO Ignores Science, Questions - Recommends Toxic Fluoride
April 12, 2005
Big Pharma Indicted By UK Parliamentary Health Committee
April 10, 2005
Supplements Directive Lacks Transparency - Advocate General's Opinion
April 05, 2005
Court: Second Hand Smoke Agenda Driven - Case For Independent Science
April 02, 2005
Food Supplements: Italy Allows More Nutrient Sources
March 14, 2005
Canada To Toughen Drug Approval Process Says Minister of Health
February 18, 2005
EU Supplements Directive 'Is Good For Consumers' - British MP
February 03, 2005
New Mexico: Historic Bill Emphasizes Nutrition in Education, Health Care
February 02, 2005
Supplements: EU Court Hears Case As UK Commons Debate Directive
January 26, 2005
Food Supplements: German Risk Institute Takes Dim View
January 20, 2005
South African Minister: No Restrictive Controls For Natural Medicines
January 17, 2005
Vioxx, Celebrex, Prozac: Bush Medical Malpractice Bill To Shield Pharma
January 16, 2005
Herbal Medicines: Italy Seeks Clarification
January 05, 2005
Codex Alimentarius - Definition Of Food
December 17, 2004
Codex: WHO/FAO Told Nutrient Risk Assessment Must Consider Benefits
December 16, 2004
Food Supplements: European Court To Hear Anti-Prohibition Case In January
December 09, 2004
Codex Nutrition Committee: Supplement Guidelines Final
November 03, 2004
'Stop Codex' - Rath Protests Plans For Supplements
November 02, 2004
Health System Persecutes Alternatives - Deregistering Medical Doctors
September 29, 2004
Foods Are Medicines: The Elusive Borderline
September 28, 2004
Codex Committee To Meet In Germany To Finalize Supplements Guidelines
September 26, 2004
Codex: South Africa May Not Attend Nutrition Committee Meeting in Bonn
September 21, 2004
EU Health Products Directives To Have 'Serious International Impact'
September 13, 2004
Denmark To Eliminate Concept Of Supplements: 'They're All Medicines'
September 07, 2004
Quackbusters: Health Freedom Counters Attack in Connecticut
August 29, 2004
Risk Analysis - A Study Of Canadian Health Products Legislation
August 25, 2004
Australia/New Zealand Health Agency - NZ Parliament Committee Disagrees
August 05, 2004
Pfizer Sued in California: Covering up Zoloft Side Effects
July 25, 2004
European Directive on Medicinal Herbs Discriminates Against China, India, Other Cultures
July 19, 2004
Codex Commission Agrees on Supplement Safety Approach
July 04, 2004
WHO Issues Guidelines for Herbal Medicine: Press Exaggerates Warnings
June 30, 2004
Bush To Impose Psychiatric Drug Regime
June 23, 2004
South Africa Opposes Codex Rule on Food Health Information
June 12, 2004
Codex: Labelling Committee Asked to Allow Information on Food Preventive Effects
May 25, 2004
European Court of Justice Strikes Down Arbitrary Dosage Limits for Supplements
May 20, 2004
New Zealand: Supplements to be 'Medicines'
May 10, 2004
New EU 'Medicine' Definition: Difficult Times for Natural Cures and Prevention
May 05, 2004
Food Supplements in Europe - What is the Problem?
April 21, 2004
Codex Alimentarius - Optimizing Nutrient Intakes
April 20, 2004
European Commission Financing Own Consumer 'Opposition'
April 14, 2004
Kava Kava - Germany, UK To Review Ban
April 07, 2004
UK: Petition Against EU Supplements Ban
April 06, 2004
EU Commissioner Byrne: No Zero Risk Society
March 31, 2004
US Congress: Ron Paul Introduces Health Information Independence Act
March 25, 2004
Codex Alimentarius – A threat to your vitamin supplements?
March 22, 2004
Health Claims in Europe - New Regulation Coming
March 16, 2004
Are RDA Nutrient Levels Safe?
March 02, 2004
Health Canada Challenged Over Pharma Bias
February 28, 2004
New Zealand - Resisting Aussie Health Takeover
February 24, 2004
Australia - Senator Questions Natural Products Recall
February 12, 2004
Risk Free Vitamins - How Safe is Safe Enough?
February 03, 2004
Ephedra - Ephedrine: what difference?
February 03, 2004
Supplements case to go to European Court
January 30, 2004
London High Court Hears EU Supplements Challenge
January 30, 2004
FDA eyes natural slimming aids
January 29, 2004
Peer Review - Politics of Science?
January 29, 2004
ANH Legal Challenge to EU Directive in London High Court
January 24, 2004
Australia New Zealand consider GMO labelling
January 23, 2004
Washington State Health Freedom Legislation introduced
January 19, 2004
Canadians Demand Balanced Health Legislation
January 17, 2004
Kava Court Challenge Unsuccessful - London High Court rejects review
January 12, 2004
Aspartame, not Ephedra causing cardiac arrests
December 21, 2003
EU to extend concept of medicine - eliminate "borderline products"
December 20, 2003
Fortification of foods - an EU proposal
December 14, 2003
Managing Risk Perception - Trust and Transparency
December 06, 2003
Australian Supplement Laws for New Zealand?
December 05, 2003
WHO to Investigate Ban on Kava Herb
December 05, 2003
Codex and the Titanic's Deck Chairs
December 04, 2003
US - Medicare to subsidize Pharma Business
November 27, 2003
Codex 2003 - Grossklaus and Mathioudakis: Nutrition not relevant to Health
November 25, 2003
Ascorbic Acid is not Vitamin C
November 17, 2003
FDA Misses Risky Business
November 15, 2003
New US bill on supplement ingredients proposed
November 07, 2003
South Africa breaks ranks at Codex Nutrition Committee
November 06, 2003
National Health Federation goes to CODEX ALIMENTARIUS
November 05, 2003
Health incorporated
October 26, 2003
Foods are not Drugs - Canadian Parliament votes
October 23, 2003
Mathioudakis: Don't Rob My Sleep
October 20, 2003
European Supplements Directive challenged in London Court
October 16, 2003
Quackbuster battle rages on
October 09, 2003
FDA sued - consumers bamboozled?
September 30, 2003
EU Commissioner snubs nutrition
September 30, 2003
US to consider drug subsidies
September 20, 2003
Codex open to wider comments
September 16, 2003
EU vitamin directive disastrous unless challenged says US lawyer
August 31, 2003
Meet Codex Alimentarius
August 30, 2003
Fluoride and IQ
August 25, 2003
Prohibition, crime and the environment
August 25, 2003
You own the FDA - no kidding
August 19, 2003
Courts to decide fate of EU supplements directive
August 08, 2003
Pharma's tentacles in your pocketbook
July 30, 2003
US drug imports bill now on to Senate - Life Extension Foundation calls for action
July 28, 2003
Government advisers linked to pharma interests
July 27, 2003
Jerry Falwell lobbies for drug profits
July 25, 2003
Ephedra discussed in US House Committee
July 24, 2003
S 722 to overturn US vitamin freedom
July 23, 2003
How UK Labour fixed vote on supplements
July 22, 2003
RCMP raids supplements for mentally ill
July 21, 2003
Supplement Regulation: Who's Behind It, and Why Should You Oppose It?
July 19, 2003
Government vitamin safety data slanted says ION
July 18, 2003
Are mineral supplements a waste of money?
July 14, 2003
Call for help - FDA vs Jason on 14 July
July 09, 2003
UK votes to adopt EU supplements directive
July 08, 2003
UK votes to adopt EU supplements directive
July 04, 2003
Fluoride - no thank you!
July 03, 2003
UK House of Lords votes against EU supplements directive
July 01, 2003
EU directives set to erode individual choice
June 24, 2003
Natural Products Recall in Australia - Push for tougher regulations?
June 20, 2003
Canada clamps down on "dangerous" supplements
June 20, 2003
Consumers demonstrate against EU directives
June 17, 2003
EU supplements directive based on bad science
June 12, 2003
Health Freedom March in London
June 10, 2003
Quackery and natural health products
June 08, 2003
Health Freedom March in London scheduled for 15 June
June 03, 2003
S.722 Dietary Supplement Safety Act Before Congress!
June 02, 2003
"Drug style regulations inappropriate for NHPs," says MP
June 02, 2003
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These articles are brought to you strictly for educational and informational purposes. Be sure to consult your health practitioner of choice before utilizing any of the information to cure or mitigate disease. Any copyrighted material cited is used strictly in a non commercial way and in accordance with the "fair use" doctrine.
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