» Herbal Supplement & Natural Product Industry Review http://www.thedailysupplement.com The Daily Supplement | Herbal Supplement and Natural Products Review Mon, 03 May 2010 04:08:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Codex Harmonization – Cruel Intentions http://www.thedailysupplement.com/codex-harmonization-cruel-intentions/ http://www.thedailysupplement.com/codex-harmonization-cruel-intentions/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:25:40 +0000 clydep http://www.thedailysupplement.com/?p=221 logos_fao_whoThe Codex Alimentarius Commission is an international organization, based in Rome, Italy, jointly run by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations.  Codex’s published goals involve developing and adopting uniform food standards for its member countries and promoting free and unhindered international flow of food goods, thus eliminating barriers to food and providing food safety.  Although these may sound like honorable objectives, there is a growing majority who feel that the proposed guidelines would severely restrict the availability of information about health products and goes against the core values of freedom of speech, freedom of choice, and freedom of information.

Codex was established after the United Nations commissioned the WHO and the FAO to develop a universal food code.  Their intent was to “harmonize” regulations for dietary supplements worldwide and establish international safety standards for increased trade.  But due to the influence of pharmaceutical interests, Codex began using its power to promote restrictions on vitamins and food supplements by limiting availability and dosages rather than focusing on food safety.  These regulations would ultimately supersede the United States domestic laws.

According to John Hammell, a legislative advocate and the founder of International Advocates for Health Freedom (IAHF), this is a sampling of what we would have to look forward to if harmonization were to occur:

“If Codex Alimentarius has its way, then herbs, vitamins, minerals, homeopathic remedies, amino acids and other natural remedies you have taken for granted most of your life will be gone. The name of the game for Codex Alimentarius is to shift all remedies into the prescription category so they can be controlled exclusively by the medical monopoly and its bosses, the major pharmaceutical firms. Predictably, this scenario has been denied by both the Canadian Health Food Association and the Health Protection Branch of Canada (HPB)”.

Despite the potentially catastrophic outcomes, there is promising news to report.  The Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) met on Tuesday, November 17th (2009), to discuss the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.  This hearing was to decide whether or not to amend the dangerous Codex provision.  The outcome was an amendment to the bill that no longer requires the development of a plan “to harmonize requirements under the Codex Alimentarius”.  Now the bill calls for development of a plan “on whether and how to harmonize requirements under the Codex Alimentarius”.  Not a total victory, but definitely a step in the right direction.

The fight to retain the freedom we currently enjoy is still raging on.  We must take this issue seriously before our inalienable rights are limited or taken away entirely.

]]> http://www.thedailysupplement.com/codex-harmonization-cruel-intentions/feed/ 0 Trumping the Health Industry http://www.thedailysupplement.com/trumping-the-health-industry/ http://www.thedailysupplement.com/trumping-the-health-industry/#comments Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:06:09 +0000 TDS http://www.thedailysupplement.com/?p=93 The Trump Network

The Trump Network

You guessed it… The Trump Network, Ideal Health and The Donald himself!

Stay tuned for the Trumped Series reviews by The Daily Supplement team! If you don’t, Your Fired!

http://www.trumpnetwork.com/

]]> http://www.thedailysupplement.com/trumping-the-health-industry/feed/ 1 Food Inc. http://www.thedailysupplement.com/food-inc/ http://www.thedailysupplement.com/food-inc/#comments Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:26:47 +0000 TDS http://www.thedailysupplement.com/?p=18 http://www.thedailysupplement.com/food-inc/feed/ 1