Sample Letter to Congress Concerning CODEX

Dear Honorable Senator Kyl and Senator McCain,

We strongly request that the FDA comply with the will of Congress as clearly expressed last year with the FDA Reform Bill amended in the Conference Committee to specifically EXCLUDE dietary supplements from the harmonization language which threatened to harmonize our laws to those of the European Union. As you know, the EU dietary supplements are regulated as drugs under EEC 65/65, and consumer access is severely restricted in every country except England and Holland.

The CODEX Commission intends to regulate dietary supplements and botanicals so stringently that only major pharmaceutical companies can afford to produce them. Most of Europe is already controlled by this system of regulations.

1) CODEX Alimentarius restrictions are based on regulations first applied in Germany.

2) German pharmaceutical companies played an active role in the initial drafting of these regulations.

3) Prescriptions are required for dosages needed to maintain health.

4) German physicians are trained in both natural and modern medicine, so Germans can get prescriptions more easily than people in other countries.

5) Dietary supplement prices include the costs of testing and enforcement of the regulations, even for German citizens. The FDA Risk Assessment document, which was submitted in advance of the recent meeting of the CODEX Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Use (CCNFSDU), includes this statement: The United States (supports) the consideration of developing upper safe limits of vitamins and minerals in supplements, provided that the recommendation are based on scientifically sound risk assessment criteria. To this end, the United States has submitted to the committee for consideration and discussion (a risk assessment model for establishing upper intake levels for vitamins.)

1) If the United States official policy is to prevent CODEX regulations from being enforced as international law, any contribution by the FDA to CODEX regulations is in violation of US official policy.

2) The trouble with "scientifically sound risk assessment criteria" is that experts on natural medicine especially in the US are not considered scientists. Other evidence corroborates this indication that the FDA is against free access to information about dietary supplements and herbal remedies.

3) Only two US delegates read the entire document.

The Dietary Supplement and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), which was designed to secure unrestricted access to nutritional supplements, requires opposition to CODEX . The US Supreme Court, in its decision on 44 Liquormart, ruled that the government has no right to try to coerce us by withholding information which we need in order to make personal informed decisions, such as those involving our health.

Exercise Congressional oversight authority over regulatory agencies like the FDA. Use this oversight authority to demand the FDA withdraw its support of CODEX regulations restricting dosage of vitamins in food supplements.

Cosponsor and support Representative Ron Paul's bill HR2868 which would amend SB830, removing the "harmonization" language. Uphold Congress' amendment to The FDA Reform Bill which specifically excluded dietary supplements from the harmonization language which threatened to harmonize our laws to those of the European Union.

We strongly urge the Oversight Committee to demand that the FDA comply with Congress and the will of the American people to EXCLUDE CODEX "harmonization" of dietary supplements. Thank you.

We would appreciate receiving a copy of your request to Dr. Yetley and Dr. Moore of the FDA on your letterhead.

Sincerely,

(Your name)

C: Dr. Elizabeth Yetley, US FDA

Dr. Robert Moore, US FDA

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