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Legislation Alert: Oppose Dietary Supplement & Non-Prescription Consumer Protection Act-DURBIN
Clinical Nutrition ^ | November 17th, 2006 | email

Posted on 11/17/2006 1:48:30 PM PST by shield

The Dietary Supplement and Non-Prescription Consumer Protection Act, (S.3546 & H.R.6168), by its title appears to benefit American consumers, but this is far from the truth. Anti-supplement and anti-health freedom proponents, particularly Durbin, using the good name Hatch has garnered over past years, will aggressively try to fast track this legislation through during the Lame Duck session beginning November 13th and possibly lasting at least a week. Big Pharma wants this legislation passed, and interestingly enough, we understand that they generously contributed to Orrin Hatch's election fund, most probably hoping to ensure future favors. Let your representatives know that you want this legislation STOPPED NOW!

This extremely flawed legislation will mandate needless FDA regulations that will treat supplements like drugs (repealing DSHEA), raise the price of supplements to consumers, and obligate supplement manufacturers, packers and distributors to notify the FDA of serious adverse events reports (AERs) associated with the use of a dietary supplement that result in death, a life-threatening experience, inpatient hospitalization, persistent or significant disability, congenital abnormality or birth defect, or an event that requires a medical or surgical intervention to prevent such outcomes. The bill's use of the words "associated with" rather than the words "caused by" could result in "guilt by association", whereby any serious adverse event experienced by any one of the 70% of Americans who consume dietary supplements could be attributed to their supplements rather than to their cigarette or alcohol use, prescription drug use, poor dietary habits, etc. As such, this bill could potentially destroy the availability of effective dietary supplements in America by associating their usage with serious health events.

We can defeat this legislation in the Lame Duck session by bombarding our Congressional leaders, both in the House and the Senate with our protests. This must be done by phone, letters, and e-mails, this upcoming week, and we encourage that you do all three. We must here and now, set the tone for our strong consumer voice in opposition of congressional efforts to undermine health freedom in the months to come. This is one of the tactics that NHF members do best, so we are counting on you and all others who want the freedom to choose their health options now, and in the future without government restrictions.

Don't let politicians do Big Pharma's dirty work and help eliminate your basic health rights. Fight back along with the National Health Federation to retain DSHEA rights before its too late. Help the NHF protect your rights to buy and use supplements.

(Go to http://www.thenhf.com/S3546_sample_petition_letter_2.htmto easily fill in the action form input boxes provided below.)

http://www.usalone.com/cgi-bin/petition.cgi?pnum=546

Thank you.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: congress; house; senate; stinks; vitamins
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To: SmithL

Yes, let's be nanny-staters who know what is good for others.

If you don't like these products; don't take them.

Otherwise, it's none of your business.


21 posted on 11/17/2006 2:58:40 PM PST by MeanWestTexan (Kol Hakavod Lezahal)
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To: Arizona Carolyn
Her doctor laughed at her and said it won't kill you... well, it not only didn't kill her, she got better.

Countless poor souls have died as the result of eschewing known, safe and effective treatments in favor of "holistic," "alternative," "natural" cures. (I'm still waiting for an answer to: what does "support" mean in, "supports prostate health.")

22 posted on 11/17/2006 2:59:53 PM PST by Salvey (ancest)
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To: dangus
DSHEA rights = snake oil

That says it all in a NUT SHELL...

23 posted on 11/17/2006 3:07:35 PM PST by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand; but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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To: Salvey

I wonder how many supporters of alternative medicine would be willing to fly in a plane designed by an alternative engineer. Or take their car to an holistic mechanic?


24 posted on 11/17/2006 3:07:41 PM PST by SmithL (Where are we going? . . . . And why are we in this handbasket????)
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To: Salvey
Supports Prostate Health means:

Saw Palmeto "contributes" to prostate health and helps as a natural prostate disease preventative measure.

Or would you prefer many men just suffer from BPH or worse, prostate cancer, when research proves that taking Saw Palmetto can help prevent both?

Do you have any clue how many drugs people end up taking as they age when a healthy diet and supplement regime can be a safe preventative?

We're not talking about herbs instead of cancer treatment, we're talking about vitamins, herbs, amino acids to keep from getting cancer or heart disease in the first place. Most people who take supplements also strive for a healthy lifestyle and, as a result, are much less cost to society as they age than people who pooh-pooh this life choice and allow their bodies to breakdown from use and abuse.

25 posted on 11/17/2006 3:20:59 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: dangus
Quackery made popular by urban legend and paranoia is sold unregulated. . .

Herbal remedies have been used - SAFELY - for a few thousand more years than prescriptions.

until enough hundreds of people die that regulation is implemented to stem lawsuits.

Umm, the same can be said for pharmaceuticals.

26 posted on 11/17/2006 3:21:26 PM PST by Dasaji (...If you can't laugh at it, you'll go crazy!)
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To: MeanWestTexan

Ephedra worked so well it got banned.

< sigh > Weight loss has never been the same...


27 posted on 11/17/2006 3:22:56 PM PST by Dasaji (...If you can't laugh at it, you'll go crazy!)
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To: Salvey
I'm still waiting for an answer to: what does "support" mean in, "supports prostate health."

I would say that supporting the health of an organ means promoting normal anatomy and physiology. IOW, nothing therapeutic or curative.

28 posted on 11/17/2006 3:26:32 PM PST by freespirited (The MSM is the root of all evil.)
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To: Salvey

(I'm still waiting for an answer to: what does "support" mean in, "supports prostate health.")

OK, here's your answer: because supplement companies are not allowed to make "claims" as per FDA regs, the word "support" is an acceptable alternative that is ambiguous enough to pass through FDA radar as not making a benefit claim.

What the manufacturer would REALLY like to say is: shrinks your prostate if enlarged, lowers BPH, makes your tallywhacker bigger and more "potent." - (which *is* what a lot of male supplements do).


29 posted on 11/17/2006 3:29:52 PM PST by Dasaji (...If you can't laugh at it, you'll go crazy!)
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To: freespirited

Saw Palmetto extract in large enough doses has simi.lar effect as common anti-DHT prescription meds.

Other advances in natural blood sugar regulation are also promising. There is one very interesting new compound that increases glucose sensitivity ONLY in skeletal muscle cells, which has far ranging health effects.

But I also agree, there is also a ton of BS products out there.


30 posted on 11/17/2006 3:33:46 PM PST by Muttering Mike
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To: Salvey

Countless poor souls have died as the result of eschewing known, safe and effective treatments in favor of "holistic," "alternative," "natural" cures.

And they've died from the others, as well. I put my mom on a serious program of herbs and twigs for three weeks that (are you ready for this?) ACTUALLY ELIMIATED A CANCEROUS BREAST TUMOR THAT REPEAT MAMMOGRAMS AND THERMOGRAPHY **AND** THE SURGEON COULD NOT FIND, even tho it was present upon biopsy & diagnosis prior to the supplements.


31 posted on 11/17/2006 3:34:40 PM PST by Dasaji (...If you can't laugh at it, you'll go crazy!)
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To: dangus
...I take taurine for ADD, and have taken SAM-e for mood regulation.

If the FDA decides that taurine and SAM-e supplements should be banned, would you still support Durbin's bill?

32 posted on 11/17/2006 3:38:13 PM PST by Ken H
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To: Muttering Mike
And cinnamon does work to stabilize blood sugar. I actually first learned this from the Medical Doctor on FOX News every Sunday morning. Someone had written in to ask about this and he said new studies showed this to be promising in stabilizing blood sugar levels. He actually said if people tried it and it worked as reported, he would be interested in hearing anecdotal reports.

Started giving this to my husband, who has a strong family history of diabetes and struggled with keeping his blood sugar in a range that would keep him off insulin...

Guess what! It works. Now, he takes cinnamon extract at bedtime and he no longer wakes up in the mornings with hypoglycemic episodes and headaches.

One side effect of diabetes and unstable blood sugar is heart disease, so taking a simple thing like cinnamon may actually help slow coronary artery disease by keeping blood sugar from fluctuating. One thing we found is not only did my husband blood sugar levels stabilize, but his triglyceride levels dropped into an excellent range.

33 posted on 11/17/2006 3:53:08 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: SmithL
So, because you in your infinite wisdom have determined that some holistic car mechanics are snake oil, therefore we need a federal law mandating that only mechanics working for the big car companies, using factory authorized parts, can fix cars. And any after market parts are a federal crime. And anyone trying to fix their own car or their neighbors car is a felon.

Crikey, man. You appear to have lost your way.

I just wish that there weren't so damn many others, lost in the same way. It's making it harder and harder to live free and prosper and be confident that my descendents will also live in freedom.

34 posted on 11/17/2006 4:00:32 PM PST by ThePythonicCow (We are but Seekers of Truth, not the Source.)
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To: Dasaji; Salvey
A little know fact is until the early part of the 20th Century medicine was homeopathic, holistic and homeopathic then The Rockefeller's and Carnegie's (who owned Pharmaceutical companies) hired Abraham Flexer to go around to medical schools to offer financial incentives to teach "allopathic" medicine. It was at this point they succeeded in making allopathic medicine mainstream and all other forms of medicine alternative.

This is very similar to what has happened in vet schools with Hills using their own "trained" vets to go into the schools and teach nutrition Hills-style.

All of a sudden none of us are smart enough to feed our own dogs' we have to feed them gag in a bag instead because that is what our brainwashed vets have been taught and sell out of gratitude to the company that kicks in millions to help pay for their education as well as their training.

35 posted on 11/17/2006 4:03:46 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Dasaji; Salvey
homeopathic, holistic and homeopathic

I meant to say homeopathic, holistic and osteopathic/chiropractic... sorry about that

36 posted on 11/17/2006 4:06:00 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Arizona Carolyn

gag in a bag

;) Nah - Innova or Eagle for my furry critters...human grade and organic!


37 posted on 11/17/2006 4:10:50 PM PST by Dasaji (...If you can't laugh at it, you'll go crazy!)
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To: Dasaji
My dogs eat all raw..

Have you ever read the article "What's really in dog food?"

38 posted on 11/17/2006 4:17:24 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Arizona Carolyn

Thank you for that bit of info. I take only supplements; never drugs. I'm never sick. My husband, OTOH, takes loads of synthetic drugs and a couple of them over the years have come close to killing him. Supplements have never done anything but keep me healthy so that I go to my doctor once a year just so I can keep him on hand in case I have an accident. I will be 73 in two weeks, Lord willing. I still run up steps. I'm going to be very very upset if they make the cost of my supplements go up or cost me a doctor's visit to get them. That's what this is all about. Money. The health care business does not want us to be healthy. It's not in their interest for us to be healthy. I do not trust doctors or hospitals. Never have, never will.


39 posted on 11/17/2006 4:20:09 PM PST by WVNan
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To: Arizona Carolyn
Fillers that aren't for animal or human consumption...pretty nasty stuff...if more folks knew...that'd be horrified...
40 posted on 11/17/2006 4:25:05 PM PST by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand; but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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