ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH

[Guest guest]

ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH

 

Press Release - for immediate release

 

4 July 2005

 

NEW DOCUMENTARY RAISES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ON CODEX FAIRNESS AND

MULTINATIONAL INTERESTS

 

July 4. 2005 – London – Delegates from 100 countries, together with

representatives from an additional 30 non-governmental organisations

begin six days of meetings at the Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO) headquarters in Rome today, under the auspices of the Codex

Alimentarius Commission (Codex).

 

After some 10 years of negotiation, the delegates will be deciding

whether to finalise the controversial guideline on vitamin and

mineral food supplements that has been criticised by detractors as

being based on flawed science and defective procedures.

 

A new documentary released today, narrated by Oscar and BAFTA

winning British actress, Dame Judi Dench, known worldwide for her

role as " M " in recent James Bond movies, raises serious questions

about the basic fairness and potential impact of Codex — and whether

multinational corporations are angling for ultimate control of

people's health the world over.

 

In concert with the most powerful governments in the world,

including those of Europe and America, special interests appear keen

to see the guideline finalized. Once ratified, the guideline is

likely to become the global standard by which maximum permitted

levels for vitamin and mineral food supplements are derived. Health

activists fear that the levels will be set so low that doses of many

vital nutrients that provide health benefits would be outlawed.

 

We Become Silent, produced by International award-winning filmmaker,

Kevin P. Miller, was released this week in an attempt to raise

public awareness to the Codex Alimentarius Commission prior to the

meeting in Rome from 4 July to 9 July. The documentary is set to be

viewed by 25 million homes on U.S. cable TV alone. Thousands of

people from 43 countries have already viewed the documentary over

the Internet.

 

" We are urging as many people from all over the world, including the

Codex delegates themselves, to watch the movie and think very

seriously about what they will be voting for, " stated Kevin

Miller. " Most believe that the Codex guidelines are simply not ready

for ratification. The real cost of depriving people of valuable

nutrients has not been considered — and there is no good reason why

these guidelines should be approved without more public debate and

input of further scientific information. This is, after all, an

important human rights issue, one which will adversely impact tens

of millions of people, " he added.

 

We Become Silent can be seen at Alliance for Natural Health's

website, www.alliance-natural-health.org — or at www.WellTV.com

 

According to Dr Robert Verkerk, executive director of the Alliance

for Natural Health, saying `no' to finalisation of the guideline has

to be the only way forward. " It appears that the Codex guidelines

for food supplements include faulty procedures that contradict

Codex's own rules, as pointed out by the US-based National Health

Federation, itself a Codex participant. Verkerk added, " we have also

demonstrated that the risk assessment system being considered by

Codex is scientifically flawed and we argue that the guideline

should not be finalised until the independent risk assessment

scientists at the Netherlands-based HAN Foundation publish their

findings regarding scientifically valid risk assessment methods due

in around 9 months " .

 

Alliance for Natural Health supporters, including such noted

celebrities as Dame Judi and Bianca Jagger, are very hopeful that

countries like India, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania and others,

which have expressed serious reservations over the Codex guidelines,

will be able to stimulate a consensus that will delay finalization

of the guidelines in Rome next week.

 

END.

 

TO VIEW DOCUMENTARY, CLICK ON BANNER ON TOP OF ANH HOMEPAGE OR

WELLTV WEBSITE

 

For enquiries and further information contact:

 

ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH

 

Dr Robert Verkerk

Executive Director

Alliance for Natural Health

Tel: +44 (0)1252 371 275

Fax: +44 (0)845 280 4910

E-mail: info

www.alliance-natural-health.org

 

PR CONSULTANTS TO THE ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH