The Vitamin Wars - The Battle Intensifies
By Ralph Fucetola, JD
Vitamin Lawyer.com
7-20-5
 
 
INTRODUCTION
July 2005 produced several international regulatory challenges that will heavily impact the nutrient industry and alternative healing. As one observer's blog put it, "Pro-Illness forces are pushing hard to consolidate their gains at CODEX last week when the Vitamin and Mineral Guideline (VMG) was passed without any dissenting voices."
The battle has just begun. Read more below about how you can help and the Vitamin Lawyer's Industry Support Program (ISP)
More up to date info on Codex and related health freedom issues can be found at http://www.healthfreedomusa.org, http://www.thenhf.com and http://www.iahf.com.
I've been on two web radio shows on this issue in the past week or so - http://www.rense.com and http://www.thebyteshow.com. More information is available through my http://www.vitaminlawyernews.com and http://www.inhere.org.
WHAT'S HAPPENING - WHAT TO DO!
My take on this all is that both the threat to freedom of choice and the opportunity to turn around the international agencies are at the highest levels they've been in years.
A new anti-vitamin bill has been introduced in the House, HR 3156, but several pro-freedom congresspeople are also getting involved (see Rep. Ron Paul's web site, for example).
Contact your congresspeople to oppose HR 3156.
Use this link: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/
healthfreedomusa/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=678
In recent weeks the EU high court upheld the very restrictive (treats dietary supplements like toxins!) Food Supplement Directive (EU regulation) BUT, according to the Alliance for Natural Health attorneys, limited its application to synthetic supplements, not natural dietary substances, thereby alleviating some concern about those rules.
Also, the Codex committee adopted similarly restrictive guidelines (the VMG - Vitamin and Mineral Guidelines), but, the "upper limits" are still in dispute and Codex's parent orgs, WHO and FAO have told Codex to "review its mandate" and consider how nutrition and supplements can help health - something it has tried to avoid so far.
The central issue here seems to be the clash between international bureaucracies regarding what "science based" approach to take regarding dietary supplements. We know the choice that was made in the US, when Congress unanimously adopted DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act) in 1994: Dietary Supplements are FOODS and are not subject to toxic material (drug) controls. This also needs to be the choice made at the international level. Currently, Codex (the international Food Code) treats Dietary Supplements as though they were toxic substances, seeking to use the science of toxicology to determine upper limits. This is just junk science and will result in upper limits so low as to be ineffective as nutrition. The proper science to use to determine possible adverse effects is the science of Nutrition.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What are the practical results of this distinction? Under the Codex toxicology model, for example, Vitamin C upper limits are set so low as to merely prevent the deficiency disease, scurvy (about 60 mg daily). However, the metabolic role of Vitamin C is much, much more important than just preventing scurvy. The amount of C that a healthy person needs, according to Nutritional Science, for optimal health, is several grams a day (2 to 3,000 mg a day).
Thus we are fighting for continued access to effective levels of nutrients. Many people believe we are fighting for our lives.
I was not sure about this, so I decided to try an experiment. After 30 years of faithful daily high dose vitamin taking, I stopped, about June 21st. By July 10th I was feeling so ill, with numbness in my fingertips, out of breathe, unable to concentrate, and uncomfortable heart palpitations, that I ended the one month experiment early and started taking my supplements again. Within about 48 hours I was feeling normal. Now I know what I'm fighting for. If I'm ever deprived of the nutrients I've been taking, it is the same as a death sentence. I know what I'm fighting for. Do you?
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge is this: the large nutrient companies are either owned by pharma interests, or soon will be. They will not support freedom of choice efforts. Only the small and struggling nutrient companies - like those to which this email is being sent - have the true incentive to support the various groups I've discussed in this email.
I've intentionally limited my law practice over the past year or so to just advising nutrient companies and alternative practitioners and institutions. I am willing to devote myself full time to defending the nutritional world. What I need to do is generate funding for these efforts. I am working with a number of nonprofits and we are putting together Industry Support Program to get the industry to support greater efforts by the Vitamin Lawyer in conjunction with pro-freedom forces. More about ISP in a later email.
NEXT STEPS
This is war! When we ask for YOUR help, will you be ready to give it? The detailed proposal we will be making will be for regular monthly support for the efforts to Defend DSHEA. Consider it part of your public relations budget. The companies will get up-to-the-minute information about market developments and a strong voice advocating their interests, which are the interests of their customers: ready access to high quality, high dose, nutrients.
I'll be contacting you individually over the next couple weeks regarding the ISP. In the meantime, please circulate this email and let me know if you are ready to support these efforts.
Ralph Fucetola JD
http://www.vitaminlawyer.com
 

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