DRANT #227: VITAMIN FASCISM

If you take vitamins or dietary supplements, or utilize any non-prescription health aids, or if you are simply interested in forestalling the rapidly encroaching destruction of what used to be our individual rights, then please read this, and DO SOMETHING.
The sponsors of this legislation are holding a "voice vote" in the Senate today- and we need to call or fax or email immediately.
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Major Expansion of FDA Powers will Target Dietary Supplements
http://www.lef.org/featured-articles/consumer_alert_042707.htm

A new attack against health freedom, drug safety, and dietary supplements was launched last week by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) with major support from Michael Enzi (R-WY). It is called the Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act (S1082). This legislation was planned over the past few years working hand-in-glove with the FDA’s dysfunctional management and legal team – meaning this legislation was written for the profits of Big Pharma and Big Biotech AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY AND HUMAN HEALTH.

S1082 is a Trojan Horse bill that pretends to address safety issues. Unbelievably, the bill turns the FDA into a drug development company that will expose Americans to new and dangerous biological drugs that have little testing to prove safety or effectiveness. And to top it off, the bill gives broad new regulatory powers to the FDA that can be used to frivolously attack dietary supplements and forward the FDA management’s anti-American globalization agenda.

On April 18, 2007, S1082 was approved by the HELP committee (which Kennedy and Enzi control) and now moves to the floor of the Senate. In a slick move, Kennedy has attached his long-planned FDA/Big Pharma “reform” measures to the renewal of PDUFA (Prescription Drug User Fee Act). Current PDUFA law expires later this year and must be reviewed by Congress. PDUFA allows Big Pharma to pay the FDA fees to speed the approval of its drugs. The new Kennedy bill will increase these FDA bribes to 380 million dollars in 2008, well over 50% of the FDA budget for new drug approvals. This is like paying the mob for protection. Kennedy, by replacing the existing PDUFA law with this new bill (S1082), is ensuring that his twisted legislation is the one that will be put before the Senate for a vote.
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IAHF
http://www.nocodexgenocide.com/nocodexgenocide.html

Senator Ted Kennedy has decided to GUT the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) tomorrow, Monday, April 30th at 4:30 pm when S.1082 is scheduled to come to an unrecorded voice vote in the Senate.Kennedy doesn't want us to see how our Senators voted on this voluminous 262 page piece of legislation. Since no conference report was issued as of Friday afternoon, your Senators have no idea what lurks within this bill, but it was scrutinized by myself, Byron Richards, and noted attorney Jonathan Emord who has offered a simple amendment that could at least partially protect us.

This is easily the most Orwellian piece of legislation to come at us since the Patriot Act and it is essential that you follow the simple steps below to oppose it (plus read and massively forward this mssg) if you wish to maintain access to the dietary supplements of your choice. Byron Richards has complete details in his latest article on News With Views below my comments, but to simplify things, and to help you to ACT NOW, IAHF is providing you with the SIMPLE set of EASY TO FOLLOW instructions here---- This battle is goint to extend into the House- it won't be over tomorrow April 30th- and Senate business could keep it from reaching the floor tomorrow, but we must ACT as if it COULD. Also- Go to the LEF Website to Send The New Form Letter that Will be On Their Front Page Under Consumer Alerts By Monday AM to your own Senators and Congressman, and if You Don't See it, use this one: http://www.lef.org/featured-articles/consumer_alert_042707.htm Please forward this massively and take action immediately.

This is for ALL the MARBLES and it is NOT a drill. Urge everyone you know to sign on to the IAHF list for updates at http://www.iahf.com and please send emergency donations to IAHF via paypal at http://www.iahf.com/index1.html or via IAHF 556 Boundary Bay Rd. Point Roberts WA 98281 USA, the life you save could be your own- an emergency trip to the Hill could be necessary to try to kill this in the House if we fail to kill it in the Senate and I'm 3000 miles from DC.

Senators Hatch and Harkin were the sponsors of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DHSEA) which stands to be SNUFFED OUT by S.1082.

Form letters sent by email are fine, and I want you to send the one below, but theres NO SUBSTITUTE for IMPASSIONED PLEAS issued by PHONE!

WHAT TO DO:

Call Senators Hatch and Harkin IMMEDIATELY via the Capital Switchboard at 202-225-3121. Ask to be connected.

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"If the FDA adopts this proposal, all natural health care would be illegal even for medical doctors; all natural health care would be criminal in one way or another. Anyone else who advises, advocates, counsels, distributes, markets, recommends or suggests anybody use "medicine" is practicing medicine without a license. This is a felony in the USA punishable by fines and incarceration.
You can read FDA’s proposed Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration here.
This guidance document details PDA’s plans to regulate virtually all herbs and supplements as drugs if they actually benefit a medical condition of a man or other animal. Believe it or not, the FDA has even targeted juice! If you plan to drink it "to promote optimal health", juice would be a "food subject to…the Act and FDA regulations." If you plan to drink juice "as part of a disease treatment regimen" juice would be "subject to regulation as a drug under the Act."
You would no longer dare recommend anyone drink cranberry juice to help with a bladder infection. And please remember, water cures dehydration!
Follow the Money!
The FDA wants to put your wallet, and your throat, within reach of Big Pharma’s greedy, fat fingers. According to the National Institutes of Health, over 1/3 of all American adults use some form of alternative therapy, spending tens of billions of out-of-pocket (read, not refunded by insurance) dollars annually. Americans now spend more on "Complimentary and Alternative Modalities" than they do on standard (allopathic) healthcare professionals. Consumers know that readily available vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements are often just as effective (if not more so) as the drugs without the harmful side effects..."
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FDA WANTS TO ELIMINATE NATURAL HEALTH CARE
http://www.newswithviews.com/DeWeese/tom81.htm

By Tom DeWeese
April 25, 2007
NewsWithViews.com

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has launched another sneak-attack, trying to regulate your health freedom into oblivion. Through FDA’s unholy partnerships with Big Pharma and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (an offshoot of the UN), we are very close to losing alternative health care in America. This is a crisis, and needs your immediate action.

In 1994 Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Heath and Education Act (DSHEA), voting unanimously to protect your health care choices, in response to 2.5 million ordinary citizens demanding dietary supplements stay on the over-the-counter market.

The FDA is trying to end-run the DSHEA, and regulate you out from under Congress’ severe limitations on the authority the FDA has over items currently classified as "food" (and therefore presumed to be safe) including dietary supplements and herbs. DSHEA currently provides the FDA with plenty of legal authority to remove any herb or supplement from the market anytime the agency can show REAL evidence of REAL harm to the public.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is working to "harmonize" food and supplement rules, pulling our American health care system down to the level of Third World nations. Under Codex rules, even basic vitamins and minerals will require a doctor’s prescription. As Europe moves ever closer to adopting Codex standards, it becomes more likely that the World Trade Organization will attempt to force those standards on the United States. This is yet another example of how the WTO threatens American sovereignty. By cooperating with Codex, the FDA is blatantly ignoring the will of Congress and the American people, hoping to overpower both through their fascistic "partnerships."

If the FDA adopts this proposal, all natural health care would be illegal even for medical doctors; all natural health care would be criminal in one way or another. Anyone else who advises, advocates, counsels, distributes, markets, recommends or suggests anybody use "medicine" is practicing medicine without a license. This is a felony in the USA punishable by fines and incarceration.

You can read FDA’s proposed Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (.pdf), or view the document here.

This guidance document details PDA’s plans to regulate virtually all herbs and supplements as drugs if they actually benefit a medical condition of a man or other animal. Believe it or not, the FDA has even targeted juice! If you plan to drink it "to promote optimal health", juice would be a "food subject to…the Act and FDA regulations." If you plan to drink juice "as part of a disease treatment regimen" juice would be "subject to regulation as a drug under the Act."

You would no longer dare recommend anyone drink cranberry juice to help with a bladder infection. And please remember, water cures dehydration!

Follow the Money!

The FDA wants to put your wallet, and your throat, within reach of Big Pharma’s greedy, fat fingers. According to the National Institutes of Health, over 1/3 of all American adults use some form of alternative therapy, spending tens of billions of out-of-pocket (read, not refunded by insurance) dollars annually. Americans now spend more on "Complimentary and Alternative Modalities" than they do on standard (allopathic) healthcare professionals. Consumers know that readily available vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements are often just as effective (if not more so) as the drugs without the harmful side effects.

Past attendees of recent Freedom21 conferences have heard Dr. Carolyn Dean, Dr. Madeleine Pelner Cosman (now deceased), and Henry Lamb talk about the little-known aspect of Agenda 21 known as Sustainable Medicine. If you don’t yet understand Sustainable Medicine, you had better educate yourself, as the UN expects you to accept their "lowered expectations" for your health care. You see, it’s just not fair for Americans to have better health care than the rest of the world.

If you value your health freedom you have only very little time to raise your voice. If you wait for someone else to protect your health freedom, you risk losing the freedom you now enjoy – freedom that is the envy of the world.

ACTION TO TAKE:

I assert my fundamental right to control my own health and health care. I want Complementary and Alternative Modalities ("CAM") to be freely available.

Submit comments on the draft guidance to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

OR, submit electronic comments to: [Click here]

Tell the FDA:

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The American PEOPLE do not want the FDA regulating their alternative health care options.
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You will NOT submit to Codex-type regulations.
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Their "thinking," as expressed in the Draft Guidance, is irrelevant. As a federal agency, their "thinking" should be to follow the will of Congress! OR, in other words,
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BACK OFF!

Finally, add Cc: Representative (Senator) _______________, so the FDA knows you’ve contacted your Congressmen.

Your comments must reference "FDA Docket No. 2006D-0480", and must be submitted by April 30, 2007. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Philip L. Chao, Office of Policy and Planning (HF-23), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-0587.

1, It is urgent that you contact your own Congressman. You can write your Representative and Senator as below: Office of Congressman (Name)

United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Office of Senator (Name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

You may phone the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate or House office you request. Or,

You can send an e-mail by going to each member’s website.

Tell them, First) you want your fundamental right to control your own health and health care protected; Second) you want the FDA reminded that their Draft Guidance violates the will of Congress, and the American people; and Third) it would be politically most unwise not to support and protect the health care choices of most American voters.

1.
Urge everyone in your personal and professional circles of influence to protect their health freedom – their personal right to make their own health choices.
2.
It is also important to email the manufacturers of the health care products you take. Ask them to alert their suppliers and customer base, to protect their businesses.
3.
Make sure your health care providers know of FDA’s fascist attempt to put them out of business. They need to alert their patients and colleagues, too.

URGENT! Please take action today and pass this alert on to at least 10 more people.

Related Article:
1, Feds eye control of vitamins, supplements – even water!
2, US Health Freedom on Verge of Collapse

© 2007 Tom DeWeese - All Rights Reserved

Tom DeWeese is president of the American Policy Center and Editor of The DeWeese Report , 70 Main Street, Suite 23, Warrenton Virginia.
(540) 342-8911

E-Mail: apcmail@americanpolicy.org

Website: www.americanpolicy.org