Health supplements: R.I.P.

Guardian ^ | 9/14/2002 | Joanna Blythman

[redbaiter]

If you're one of those who find [herbal remedies] useful, however, you'd better start stockpiling now. A raft of EU legislation looks set to nip the natural medicine market in the bud: soon, that popular vitamin C, echinacea and zinc combination may not be allowed on the shelves. A shadow looms large over the alternative health sector. Estimates of the impact of this new legislation vary, but hundreds of vitamin and mineral supplements could be banned outright, while an as yet incalculable number of common herbal remedies will disappear unless consumers challenge it. The National Association of Health Food Stores claims that as many as three-quarters of its members could go out of business. The writing is on the wall for small British supplement companies, which will be forced to reformulate entire ranges and invest massively in applying for new product licences.

[snip]

The attack comes from four different pieces of legislation, one of which is already in force, another approved in principle. All are couched in the now familiar EU language of consumer safety and free trade. Currently, the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland have a far more permissive attitude towards supplements than other member states, and make available a wider range of higher-dose remedies. This approach is in line with those in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. But those days are numbered. The idea behind the new regulations is that, irrespective of whether you are a healthy Cretan, living on fish, multiple fruit and vegetables and monounsaturated olive oil, or a typically sun-starved Brit, existing on nutritionally impoverished processed food, you should have the same range and strength of supplements at your disposal.

[redbaiter]

They have made their bed, now let them lie in it.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

The National Association of Health Food Stores claims that as many as three-quarters of its members could go out of business.

Whew! At first I thought US herbal supplements were in danger. The thought of that was pretty spooky. Not only bad for free enterprise, but also bad for health.

[Kermit]

They'll just order from the US on the internet.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

God help your country!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

They'll just order from the US on the internet.

Hope you're right. But at the same time, they might clamp down on internet purchasing in the EU too. This is forboding.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Whatever people think of Orrin Hatch, he is the MAIN person responsible for NOT LETTING the FDA do the same thing here.

God bless you Orrin.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

US Herbal supplements are in constant danger...but see post above why WE are still free.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

ping

[j271]

When herbal remedies are banned, what are the hundreds of thousands of Europeans who've been using them to treat themselves for minor chronic and acute conditions supposed to do? Go see a doctor?

Well, since the medicine is socialized, I wonder how long it'll take to get an appointment, and how much more it will cost in the long run.

These budding Euro-tyrants need to read some Bastiat: THAT WHICH IS SEEN, AND THAT WHICH IS NOT SEEN.

[Dialup Llama]

The supplements industry has been founded on excessive claims and outright fraud. Especially hateful are the frauds pushing cancer cures and the like. Scientists have finally begun to formally study many alternative treatments. Many of the longevity and anti-cancer properties of the things like carotene have been rejected by data.

I still hear adds on the radio for vitamins which will regrow hair. In what other industry could such empty claims be tolerated? Does a free economy really mean that phonies are given free reign?

[tdadams]

So because there are a few hucksters out there preying on the naive, your answer is to forbid anyone (no matter how well informed and sincere about their health) from buying alternatives to chemically synthesized drugs that are approved by the FEDGOV.

That's not such a great solution for a free country.

[j271]

Does anyone track the deaths that could have been avoided if not for the FDA's delays and denials?

Time for FDA reform. The FDA should issue advisory opinions only. Other than that, non-approved drugs should be freely available in the marketplace along with FDA-approved drugs. I'm pro-choice: people should have a right to choose what drugs they'll use.

Congress also needs to allow physicians the power to prescribe non-approved medication, and give them immunity to related lawsuits provided the patient signs an approved consent form.

[dogbyte12]

I agree. There seems to be no happy medium here. The AMA and the FDA are quacks and to set into their profits to properly investigate alternatives that are cheaper. The health drug folks make bogus unsupportable claims that give people false hope. Yet what is one to do?

If an herb that costs pennies to grow is as effective as a $20 a pill lab concoction, how do we get it tested? There is no incentive here unless we force the health food folks to do scientific testing. The university and business labs have no profit motive in proving something that is basically unprofitable to them works. It is a big old mess.

[tdadams]

Don't kid yourself thinking there isn't as much effort to overturn the U.S. policy of allowing supplement sales. This is a big issue with statists and they're determined to clamp down, even if it takes a decade or more.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Well...(and I don't want to get into a flamewar here) I suffer from sinusitis. It is painful. I have studied herbs and supplements for years btw. My mother has a degree in this stuff and has her own radio show in Las Vegas btw. So I do know what I'm talking about.

Back to the sinusitis. I have tried various supplements and OTC things for it. Sudafed, etc... one for sinus headache...and it doesn't really get rid of the thing. The sinus headache one just puts me to sleep. A friend told me about Olive Leaf Extract...something I hadn't heard of but which there's tons of research (even Upjohn did research on it according to what I've read this morning). Based on my friend's recommendation AND my own research I got some and this morning...I have sinusitis. And, it feels a LOT better than it did earlier...I will tell you!

I've been helped a lot by supplements. I have plantar fasciitis. I wasn't able to walk. I went to a site (heelspurs.com) and people were talking about Glucosamine and Chondroitin and I took it and amazingly I started to get better. It also works on arthritis and my Gran uses it now, and SHE feels better. She's 87.

So, yes there's some outrageous claims, but imho, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. One of the things a person who goes the route of taking herbs and supplements is to be very informed of what you are doing. Doing research is PARAMOUNT to taking any of these supplements and herbs.

I wouldn't take anything without doing research on it. Anyone who does is an idiot.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

There IS scientific testing on herbs/vitamins/supplements. The NHI itself does it as well as many European countries. Do your homework.

[tdadams]

Time for FDA reform. The FDA should issue advisory opinions only. Other than that, non-approved drugs should be freely available in the marketplace along with FDA-approved drugs.

Everything you said in this most is very sensible. You're exactly right.

You have freepmail.

[Dialup Llama]

Vitamin companies need to back up their claims with data. Maybe not the same level of research required with drugs, but the tolerance of hucksterism among the vitamin marketers will result in their severe regulation.

[aruanan]

All are couched in the now familiar EU language of consumer safety and free trade.

Well, herbal products have wildly ranging concentrations for the same stated dose and are often loaded with bacteria.

[tdadams]

Hucksterism in the supplement market is handled pretty well by the free market. Supplements that work are praised and receive word of mouth recommendations. Those that don't are revealed to be snake oil and go off the market.

Yes, this process takes a while and some people might spend $20 bucks for nothing, but how long does the FDA approval process take and what are the costs when the FDA is wrong (hint - it's not just monetary)?