Current Medical Freedom Issues that need political action

Thomas Navarro needs your help to obtain the alternative treatment that could save his life

The FDA as "Big Mother"

Important legislation is pending that could limit consumers' access to nutritional supplements. Dietary supplements are a multi-billion dollar business. Not surprisingly, this is fomenting a turf war over control of the burgeoning industry. The FDA is aligning itself with conventional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry in a move to get supplements classified as drugs.

Many consumers, practitioners and manufacturers of alternative remedies see this as a threat to their access. Getting a drug approved by the FDA is prohibitively expensive for small companies since clinical trials cost $100 million dollars.

The FDA has also opposed allowing information on the established health benefits of supplements.

Sign Petitions or Contact Your Senator and Representative

Legislation both good and bad is pending. It is a matter of vital personal and public interest to find out what's going on and voice your opinion.

You can also visit web sites as indicated to sign petitions or get more information.

Consumer Health Free Speech Act

Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) has reintroduced the Consumer Health Free Speech Act which could prevent the FDA from classifying supplements as drugs if health claims are made. This bill would prevent the FDA from arbitrarily removing products from the marketplace unless there is a "significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury," which the FDA also needs to define. To read the bill or download hearing testimony, visit Congress's database at http://thomas.loc.gov. Then contact your representative to voice support.

Dietary Supplement Fairness in Labeling and Advertising Act

Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID) introduced the Dietary Supplement Fairness in Labeling and Advertising Act in October, 1999. It instructs the FDA not to proceed with its proposed restrictive labeling instructions and allows the use of truthful peer-reviewed literature in labeling and advertising. This legislation, if passed, would provide Americans with access to information about dietary supplements that would help them make informed decisions. The legislation also addresses the Federal Trade Commission's guidelines for advertising dietary supplements.

For more information, contact Citizens for Health at 303-417-0772 or visit their website at www.citizens.org. And contact your senator to express support.

Consumer Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food

Citizens for Health, the consumer voice of the natural health community with a nationwide network of chapters, is a participant in the Consumer Right to Know Coalition. Citizens for Health recently joined scientists, industry leaders and religious leaders at the Summit on the Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods in Washington D.C., hosted by Mothers for Natural Law. An initial 500,000 signatures were presented to the White House, Congress, USDA, FDA, and EPA in support of mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food. Many consumers are unaware that there is already genetically engineered soy, tomatoes, salmon, potatoes, corn, canola oil and other products on the market—contained in up to 60% of processed foods on supermarket shelves—because current laws do not mandate labels. Part of the debate concerns the size and placement of a symbol to inform consumers of genetically engineered food. Some manufacturers think the proposed symbol suggests toxic waste(!)

Sign the petition for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food by visiting the Citizens for Health web site at www.citizens.org or e-mail ge-mail@lofthouse.com with the message: "Please add my name to the Consumers Right to Know Petition." Include your address and the date.

For more information, you can also visit

www.safe-food.org

www.purefood.org.

Is Puberty a Disease?

The FDA is at it again, but so is Citizens for Health. They organized the "Write to Know" Campaign, which generated comments opposing FDA's effort to control and restrict dietary supplements by changing the definition of disease to include aging, pregnancy, puberty and other natural body functions! Visit www.citizens.org for more information. FDA Loses in Court An important United States Appeals Court decision in January, 1999 in the matter of Pearson v. Shalala challenged the FDA's position on giving consumers access to health information.

Following the decision, Representatives Dan Burton, Helen Chenowith and others stated in a letter to Congress that "the federal courts have now joined Congress in recognizing that the FDA's power to act as Big Mother by restricting access to dietary supplements violates the First Amendment and is not in the best interest of consumers."

According to the letter, the FDA's regulations reflect a belief that giving consumers access to information is "like asking them to buy something while hypnotized." Fortunately, the U.S. Appeals Court found the FDA's arguments frivolous and condescending. It is possible that the FDA will still pursue a Supreme Court case.

Trendsetting Press Conference

A press conference "Consumer Advocates Announce First Claims Challenging FDA Labeling of Health Supplements was held at the Capitol in May. Among the participants were Citizens for Health Board Chair James S. Turner, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Rep. Helen Chenowith (R-ID), Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and Candace Campbell, Executive Director of the APMA. Dr. Julian Whitaker, Director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute and Editor of Health and Healing, organized the press conference. It was the first such event following the Appeals Court decision that the FDA improperly used its authority to restrict health claims on dietary supplements. The FDA is being urged to encourage the broadest possible availability of health information on dietary supplements to give consumers both choice and safety. The FDA has authority to forbid misleading claims. But the current legal victory now prohibits them from suppressing true claims.

However, the FDA could still decide to request a Supreme Court case. Visit the American Preventive Medical Association website at www.apma.net for more information.