Guest guest Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I received this email. I am not sure if it is some hysterical propaganda or more or less true. I am sure about one thing. The traditional herbal medicinal products directive passed by the EU does exempt raw herbs compounded in a clinic from these rules. So read this first, from a previous post by me: While some herbs will be banned due to safety issues, like guang fang ji, most will be freely available. While the codex is certainly onerous for those who make extensive use of prepared supplements, it does not appear it will affect herbalists using herbs. I still think that that loss of access to other prepared supplements is unacceptable, but should perhaps be mitgated in Europe by the fact that healthcare is nationalized. So it is a much simpler matter to go to the doctor and get a prescription for your vitamins over there, especially since most EU docs frequently advocate such items. But we should beware. There is a good chance that the US will be forced to adopt part or all of the codex at some date due to GATT treaties. I suppose we could decide to isolate ourselves economically as well as culturally, intellectually and militarily, but I don't see that happening. Ironically, the one area where the Bush administration will likely have to kiss EU butt is on the trade issues. However, in the US, due to so many people having no access to healthcare, most people having no access to alt. healthcare and a medical establishment generally skeptical about the use of supplements, there will be no recourse for our citizens if this comes to pass. Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive The majority of herbal products are currently on sale in the UK under Section 12 of the 1968 Medicines Act as ‘medicines exempt from licensing’. Although acknowledged as safe, these products are regarded by some regulators as technically illegal under EU law. . Led by regulators from the UK Department of Health, the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) has been adopted by the EU Parliament and was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 30th April 2004. The Directive requires all Member States to comply with the Directive by 30th October 2005. Discussions continue with regulators on a number of topics including the options for legal categorisation and the types of product claims available. The THMPD would allow a marketing authorisation (product licence) to be given to medicines without proof of efficacy provided they are: 1. safe 2. have been in traditional medicinal use throughout a period of at least 30 years preceding the date of application. At least 15 of the 30 years must relate to the European Union. 3. are produced to expensive standards that are more appropriate to pharmaceutical drugs than to naturally occurring substances. The legislation does not apply to homeopathic medicinal products eligible for licence. There remain problems with the text of the Directive. THMPD would impose unduly onerous burdens on industry, for smaller businesses in particular and jeopardise the future of many safe, popular and effective herbal remedies. The THMPD specifically excludes herbalists from its remit, so whilst pharmaceutical manufacturing standards are to be imposed on the manufacturers and health food shops, herbalists can carry on making up remedies in their kitchen or elsewhere. > > >Keep Natural Medicines Available > > > > > >Your ability to choose your vitamin, mineral and other supplements > may end this summer, as U.S. supplements may then be defined and > controlled by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health > Organization (WHO). The CODEX ALIMENTARIUS (Food Code) is setting the > supplement standards for all countries in the WTO. These standards > will be enforced by the WTO and will override federal laws. The U.S. > President and Congress agreed to this take-over when the WTO Treaty > was signed, and violations will be punishable by WTO trade sanctions. > CODEX drastically restricts the sale of vitamins, minerals, herbs and > other nutritional supplements. > > > >CODEX met secretly in November, 2004 and finalized " Step 8 (the > final stage) " to begin implementation in June, 2005.The CODE includes: > > > >(1) No supplement can be sold for preventive or therapeutic use; > > > >(2) Any potency higher than RDA (minimal strength) is a " drug " > requiring a prescription and must be produced by drug companies. Over > 5000 items now available in health stores will be banned as a result; > > > >(3) CODEX regulations become binding internationally; > > > >(4) New supplements are banned unless given very expensive CODEX > testing and approval. > > > >CODEX now applies to Norway and Germany, among other nations, where > zinc tablets rose from $4 per bottle to $52. Echinacea rose from $14 > to $153 (both products are now allowed by prescription only). They are > now " drugs " . Vitamin C above 200 mg, niacin above 32 mg, and vitamin > B6 above 4 mg are all banned as over-the-counter supplements. No amino > acids, essential fatty acids, or other essential supplements such as > DMEA, DHEA, CoQ10, MSM, beta-carotene, etc. are allowed. The CODEX > rules are not based on real science. They are made by a few people > meeting in secret (see web sites below), not necessarily scientists. > > > >In 1993 the FDA and drug corporations tried to put all supplements > under restriction and prescription. But over 4 million Americans told > Congress and the President to protect their freedom of choice on > health supplements. This successful outcry resulted in the DSHEA Law, > which was passed in 1994. DSHEA protects YOUR freedom of choice on > health supplements. But this will be over ruled by CODEX and the World > Trade Organization. > > > >What can be done? Go to the Advocacy Action Center at > http://www.capwiz.com/nnfa/home/ voice your opinion to Congress on > upcoming legislation which affects your access to nutritional > supplements. Send letters to both of your senators and your > representatives in Congress, as well as the president. Follow up with > calls and faxes. > > > >SPREAD THE WORD: > >Tell everyone, your friends, co-workers, natural and alternative > healthcare as well as western medicine practitioners. Let your local > health food stores and restaurants know. You would be surprised, but > most of > >them have never heard of CODEX. Insist that the U.S. pull out of > this agreement. > > > > > > > > > >Rebecca Luna Provorse, ND, LAc > Chinese Herbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 The potential impact of this is scary. The govenment is now getting in the business of telling you what you can provide to patients. Can you say fascism? In some ways, this reads as no prescriptions with a healing dosage or maybe we will lose all rights to prescribe as these things might fall under the category of drugs. Maybe the bigger picture as to why we are debating the issue over separation vs integration is that we all need to come together to politically change this from happening. Herbs and supplements are not drugs and therefore should not be treated as such. This group (EU Codex) seems to have a mission to lead us back to the pharmacy. Some groups do not want to see health as it is bad for business. Mike W. Bowser, L Ac > < > >cha > Fwd: WTO and CODEX >Fri, 4 Mar 2005 09:23:47 -0800 > > >I received this email. I am not sure if it is some hysterical >propaganda or more or less true. I am sure about one thing. The >traditional herbal medicinal products directive passed by the EU does >exempt raw herbs compounded in a clinic from these rules. So read this >first, from a previous post by me: > >While some herbs will be banned due to safety issues, >like guang fang ji, most will be freely available. While the codex is >certainly onerous for those who make extensive use of prepared >supplements, it does not appear it will affect herbalists using herbs. >I still think that that loss of access to other prepared supplements is >unacceptable, but should perhaps be mitgated in Europe by the fact that >healthcare is nationalized. So it is a much simpler matter to go to >the doctor and get a prescription for your vitamins over there, >especially since most EU docs frequently advocate such items. But we >should beware. There is a good chance that the US will be forced to >adopt part or all of the codex at some date due to GATT treaties. I >suppose we could decide to isolate ourselves economically as well as >culturally, intellectually and militarily, but I don't see that >happening. Ironically, the one area where the Bush administration will >likely have to kiss EU butt is on the trade issues. However, in the >US, due to so many people having no access to healthcare, most people >having no access to alt. healthcare and a medical establishment >generally skeptical about the use of supplements, there will be no >recourse for our citizens if this comes to pass. > > >Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive > > The majority of herbal products are currently on sale in the UK under >Section 12 of the 1968 Medicines Act as ‘medicines exempt from >licensing’. Although acknowledged as safe, these products are regarded >by some regulators as technically illegal under EU law. . > > Led by regulators from the UK Department of Health, the Traditional >Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) has been adopted by the EU >Parliament and was published in the Official Journal of the European >Union on 30th April 2004. The Directive requires all Member States to >comply with the Directive by 30th October 2005. > > Discussions continue with regulators on a number of topics including >the options for legal categorisation and the types of product claims >available. > > The THMPD would allow a marketing authorisation (product licence) to >be given to medicines without proof of efficacy provided they are: > 1. safe > 2. have been in traditional medicinal use throughout a period of at >least 30 years preceding the date of application. At least 15 of the 30 >years must relate to the European Union. > 3. are produced to expensive standards that are more appropriate to >pharmaceutical drugs than to naturally occurring substances. > > The legislation does not apply to homeopathic medicinal products >eligible for licence. > > There remain problems with the text of the Directive. THMPD would >impose unduly onerous burdens on industry, for smaller businesses in >particular and jeopardise the future of many safe, popular and >effective herbal remedies. > > The THMPD specifically excludes herbalists from its remit, so whilst >pharmaceutical manufacturing standards are to be imposed on the >manufacturers and health food shops, herbalists can carry on making up >remedies in their kitchen or elsewhere. > > > > > >Keep Natural Medicines Available > > > > > > > > >Your ability to choose your vitamin, mineral and other supplements > > may end this summer, as U.S. supplements may then be defined and > > controlled by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health > > Organization (WHO). The CODEX ALIMENTARIUS (Food Code) is setting the > > supplement standards for all countries in the WTO. These standards > > will be enforced by the WTO and will override federal laws. The U.S. > > President and Congress agreed to this take-over when the WTO Treaty > > was signed, and violations will be punishable by WTO trade sanctions. > > CODEX drastically restricts the sale of vitamins, minerals, herbs and > > other nutritional supplements. > > > > > >CODEX met secretly in November, 2004 and finalized " Step 8 (the > > final stage) " to begin implementation in June, 2005.The CODE includes: > > > > > >(1) No supplement can be sold for preventive or therapeutic use; > > > > > >(2) Any potency higher than RDA (minimal strength) is a " drug " > > requiring a prescription and must be produced by drug companies. Over > > 5000 items now available in health stores will be banned as a result; > > > > > >(3) CODEX regulations become binding internationally; > > > > > >(4) New supplements are banned unless given very expensive CODEX > > testing and approval. > > > > > >CODEX now applies to Norway and Germany, among other nations, where > > zinc tablets rose from $4 per bottle to $52. Echinacea rose from $14 > > to $153 (both products are now allowed by prescription only). They are > > now " drugs " . Vitamin C above 200 mg, niacin above 32 mg, and vitamin > > B6 above 4 mg are all banned as over-the-counter supplements. No amino > > acids, essential fatty acids, or other essential supplements such as > > DMEA, DHEA, CoQ10, MSM, beta-carotene, etc. are allowed. The CODEX > > rules are not based on real science. They are made by a few people > > meeting in secret (see web sites below), not necessarily scientists. > > > > > >In 1993 the FDA and drug corporations tried to put all supplements > > under restriction and prescription. But over 4 million Americans told > > Congress and the President to protect their freedom of choice on > > health supplements. This successful outcry resulted in the DSHEA Law, > > which was passed in 1994. DSHEA protects YOUR freedom of choice on > > health supplements. But this will be over ruled by CODEX and the World > > Trade Organization. > > > > > >What can be done? Go to the Advocacy Action Center at > > http://www.capwiz.com/nnfa/home/ voice your opinion to Congress on > > upcoming legislation which affects your access to nutritional > > supplements. Send letters to both of your senators and your > > representatives in Congress, as well as the president. Follow up with > > calls and faxes. > > > > > >SPREAD THE WORD: > > >Tell everyone, your friends, co-workers, natural and alternative > > healthcare as well as western medicine practitioners. Let your local > > health food stores and restaurants know. You would be surprised, but > > most of > > >them have never heard of CODEX. Insist that the U.S. pull out of > > this agreement. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Rebecca Luna Provorse, ND, LAc > > > > >Chinese Herbs > > > > > > > > > > >Chinese Herbal Medicine offers various professional services, including >board approved continuing education classes, an annual conference and a >free discussion forum in Chinese Herbal Medicine. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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