November 10, 2007
I am writing this at 7:15 AM in my room at the Steigenberger Hotel, Bad Neuenahr, Germany. General Stubblebine and I were in San Francisco three days ago in a week-long meeting with our film makers for the new DVD on Health Freedom and the Codex Agenda. We have worked out a powerful and dynamic way of telling the story which is accurate, comprehensive, action-oriented and compelling film and we are all really excited. Stay tuned for more about that in another post, but you can be sure that it will be well worth seeing and sharing! Of course, we are asking for your support to make this film. Instead of getting investors involved, this is a film by popular demand created with popular support – yours! Your donation will help us reach the $150,000 goal. (http://drrimatruthreports.com/index.php?page_id=189)Donations to allow us to make this video (and all donations are tax deductible, by the way) of $100 or more will be acknowledged in the final version of the film.
The Natural Solutions Foundation is attending the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) this week. There are two initial workshops which we will also attend. The first, a Working Group on Gluten – Free Foods will take place today (in just a few hours) and the second will take place tomorrow on “Risk Analysis”. Every day the US has a meeting for Americans attending Codex and we will be attending those, too.
The meeting itself has a fixed agenda which is sometimes adhered to and sometimes not. In our observations, it is rigidly adhered to when that serves the intent of the Codex Committee and, most especially, the rather astonishingly dictatorial Chair of CCNFSDU, Dr. Rolf Grossklaus, MD, the man who declared in 2003 that “Nutrients are not relevant to human health!”. That is, I believe, a rather astonishing position for a physician with a specialty in Nutritional Medicine! Even more astonishing, of course, is his insistence that Codex treat nutrients like dangerous industrial toxins and subject them to “Risk Assessment”, a technique taken directly from toxicology in which the maximum doses of poisons to which humans can be exposed without discernible change is determined, cut by a “safety margin” (usually by dividing the highest dose that produced no changes by 100) and then declared to be a safe Maximum Permissible Upper Limit or MPUL for human exposure. Perhaps the fact that Dr. Grossklaus is the Chairman of the Board of a German company called bFR (which specializes in Risk Assessment of toxins, or, in this case, supposed toxins) and that he just might have a vested financial interest in making every known nutrient into something which must be tested, perhaps by his own company, just might have some impact on his insistence, with potentially deadly consequences, that nutrients are toxins. Hmmm. What do you think? Just perhaps?
This, a wildly inappropriate system for nutrient doses, is the very system that Dr. Grossklaus has been so very enthusiastic in driving Codex to in its determination of upper limits for nutrients. Upper limits for nutrients? Oh, yes, that violates US law since nutrients are, in our legal system, considered to be foods under the 1994 Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Under DSHEA, importantly, those very foods are generally considered to be safe since foods are generally considered to be safe and they ARE foods. Hmmm. What about the fact that the US FDA announced that it would ‘ “HARMonize” US food standards and regulation to International Standards even if not complete’ (which is bureaucratic talk for “Codex”)? Yes, indeed, what about it? We are asking people who have grave reservations about this illegal “HARMonization” to sign the Natural Solutions Foundation Citizens Petition, (http://drrimatruthreports.com/index.php?page_id=184) a legal challenge to this illegal stand by the corporate-compromised FDA.
CCNFSDU has a number of other activities besides setting upper limits on nutrition (not legal in the US, remember, but enthusiastically endorsed and supported by the FDA here at the meetings and at home). It is interesting to note that at many Codex meetings people from the FDA serve as the Delegate representing the US. (There is only one Delegate per country but they are supported by advisers from their country). Often the US Delegate at this meeting and at a number of others is Dr. Barbara Schneeman, Head of the Office of Dietary Supplements of the FDA. She is a pleasant lady who acts against the interests of makers and takers of Dietary Supplements at every turn, as far as I can see. For example, by moving the deadly and restrictive Vitamin and Mineral Guideline (ratified July 4, 2005, Rome, Italy) forward in CCNFSDU, she is setting up a situation in which the US must have, I kid you not, a “Nutrient Risk Manager” (!) who will determine the maximum dose available for any nutrient permitted in the US (!) as long as that maximum dose is NOT more than 15% higher than the dose of the nutrient found in unprocessed food (of course, that includes food grown in demineralized soils). Hmmm. Where is that FDA bread buttered? Could it be by the Big Pharma through their impact on every aspect of FDA policy whether it is for food or drugs? Consider the wisdom of divesting the FDA of its responsibilities for the regulation of food, a policy which the Natural Solutions Foundation is presenting to Congress in our Congressional Education program.
CCNFSDU also sets standards for infant formula and foods for other special groups. It was at this same committee last November that the Natural Solutions Foundation played such a pivotal role in blocking the US’s determined efforts to include fluoride (which even the American Dental Association now admits babies under 1 year should NEVER be exposed to) as a permitted additive to infant formula for healthy babies. With the help of our African and Asian health-friendly allies we kept baby formula safe from this deadly additive – except for sick babies, of course, which Dr. Schneeman made sure would be exposed to fluoride by a last minute maneuver as the meeting was closing!
Now it is time for me to go get dressed to attend the Workshop on Gluten – Foods as your eyes and ears. More to come. Please let everyone on your list know the health freedom battle is raging both at home and internationally and that the Natural Solutions Foundation is in it protecting your health, your freedom and your right to make the health choices you want for yourself and your loved ones. Ask them to sign up for our Health Freedom Alerts (and help financially, too!) at www.HealthFreedomUSA.org.
Yours in health and freedom,
Dr. Rima
Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org
www.GlobalHealthFreedom.org
November 3, 2004
Here are the questions we asked of each Presidential candidate on our Health Freedom Scorecard. To date, only Dr. Ron Paul (R-TX) has provided his answers to those questions.
We urge all candidates for the office of President of the United States take the time and effort necessary to consider, and answer,
HFUSA: The FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) Final Rule
Do you support the FDA cGMP Final Rule for dietary supplements, issued on June 22, 2007, requiring the batch testing of all food dietary supplements although
– Supplements have an enviable safety record
– The FDA’s own economic analysis of the impact of the cGMP shows that it will drive a significant number of small and medium size manufacturers out of business?
Dr. Paul: I oppose all federal regulations that burden dietary supplement manufacturers. There is no need for the federal nogovernment to impose “Good Manufacturing Practices” on the dietary supplement industry. In addition, the federal government lacks constitutional authority to create standards for the supplement industry.
HFUSA: The FDA draft Guidance on Health Claim substantiation
A. Are your aware of the FDA draft guidance on Health Claim substantiation, issued this summer, which mandates an unreasonably high “Significant Scientific Agreement” standard instead of the FTC “competent and reliable scientific evidence”, as proposed in HR 2117, The Health Freedom Protection Act?
Dr. Paul: I oppose the CAM Regulation draft guidelines and submitted comments to the FDA in opposition to the CAM regulations.
HFUSA: Do you support HR2117 {Health Freedom Protection Act]?
Dr. Paul: I introduced HR 2117, and oppose all FDA actions that in any way infringe on the First Amendment rights of consumers to learn about the health benefits of dietary supplements.
HFUSA: Protection of Dietary Supplements
Do you support continuing strong protection for Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) products?
Dr. Paul: I support DSHEA.
HFUSA: Bio-Identical Hormones
Do you support the right of men and women to use supplemental Bio-identical Hormones such as DHEA and progesterone to support normal function during change of life and premature aging in preference to less effective, dangerous and more expensive prescription drugs if they prefer bio-identical hormones?
Dr. Paul: The federal government has no constitutional authority to stop Americans from using bio-identical hormones.
HFUSA: Compounding Pharmacies
Do you support the right of Compounding Pharmacists and licensed physicians to continue to provide compounded medications, on a doctor’s prescription, for special needs and choices of individuals, communicating their availability to the public, as permitted by the landmark Supreme Court case of Thompson vs. Western States Medical Centers?
Dr. Paul: The federal government has constitutional authority to restrict the operations of compounding pharmacies.
HFUSA: A. Trilateral Cooperation Charter/North American Union/Security and Prosperity Partnership
A. Do you support the “North American Union” and its companion “Security and Prosperity Partnership” which were created without Congressional debate and approval?
Dr. Paul: A. I am the leading Congressional opponent of the North American Union and the Security and Prosperity Partnership.
HFUSA: B. Do you support FDA’s policy of “harmonization” of regulations with those of Mexico and Canada through the North American Union and the already-operating Trilateral Cooperation Charter which fuses the national health departments of all three countries into a single entity without Congressional oversight or authorization of any entity?
Dr. Paul: B. I oppose all efforts to harmonize American law with the law of other countries and I have taken the lead in working to mobilize congressional opposition to the Trilateral Cooperation Charter.
HFUSA: C. Do you support such executive agreements without Congressional debate and approval?
Dr. Paul: C. No; I do not support allowing the President to erode our freedom and threaten our sovereignty by executive agreement.
HFUSA: D. If elected, do you pledge to use the power of the Executive Branch of Government to overturn or reverse the North American Union, Security and Prosperity Partnership and the Trilateral Cooperation Charter?
Dr. Paul: D. As President, I will withdraw the United States from the North American Union, the Security and Prosperity Partnership, and the Trilateral Cooperation Charter.
HFUSA: HARMonization of FDA regulations with international and foreign agencies and entities
A. Do you support FDA?s policy of ?harmonization? of regulations with those of the European Union, under executive agreement?
Dr. Paul: A. I oppose harmonization. Centralization of power and control breeds oppression.
HFUSA:B. Do you support FDA?s policy of ?HARMonization? of regulations with the standards and guidelines of the Codex Alimentarius when those texts are created through the US efforts on behalf of industrialized food supply constituents and degrade and render toxic the US and global food supplies?
Dr. Paul: B. I am the leading Congressional opponent of CODEX.
HFUSA: C. If elected, what steps do you pledge to take to end these HARMonization activities of the FDA, USDA, FTC and EPA?
Dr. Paul: C. I will seek to stop US participation in the Codex process and make it clear to the UN and the WTO that my administration will not change one comma in American law to make the bureaucrats at Codex happy.
HFUSA:Anti-HARMonization Statute
Do you support strict enforcement of the Anti-Harmonization Statute, 19 USC 3512, which prohibits such harmonization with respect to the US food supply and those foods known as Dietary Supplements?
Dr. Paul: I was instrumental in drafting the anti-harmonization statute, so, yes; I supported strict enforcement of it.
HFUSA: FDA HARMonization with international standards
A. Are you aware and do you support the FDA’s announced policy of “harmonization” with International Standards, even where those standards are not finalized: “In a notice published in the Federal Register of October 11, 1995 (60 FR 53078), FDA articulated its policy regarding the development and use of standards with respect to the harmonization of various national and international regulatory requirements and guidelines? – http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr970707.html ?
Dr. Paul: A. As stated before, I am strongly opposed to harmonization.
HFUSA:B If elected, what steps do you pledge to take to reign in such HARMonization and return the US to regulatory sovereignty?
Dr. Paul: B. please see my previous answers.
HFUSA: World Trade Organization and similar international bodies
A. Do you support harmonizing America’s legal structure and freedoms to international restrictions through participation in bodies such as the World Trade Organization?
Dr. Paul: A. No; I oppose harmonizing American laws with those of foreign countries to satisfy the WTO or any other international regime.
HFUSA: B. Do you support withdrawing from the World Trade Organization?
Dr. Paul: B. Yes; as a Congressman, I took advantage of the clause in the WTO enabling legislation that allows any member of Congress to introduce legislation withdrawing the United States from the WTO. In fact, by twice introducing WTO withdrawal legislation, I twice forced Congress to vote on withdrawing the United States from the WTO.
HFUSA: C. Do you support withdrawing from the United Nations?
Dr. Paul: C. Yes; I have introduced legislation to withdraw from the UN (HR 1146).
HFUSA: Divesting the FDA of food regulatory authority
A. Since nutrient and natural health products are regulated as Food in accordance with US law, do you support a division of the FDA into two separate agencies, one focusing on Foods (including dietary supplements and all natural or non-pharmaceutical health products) and the other finally focusing on protecting the safety of the public with regard to dangerous drugs and invasive medical devices?
Dr. Paul: A. No; I favor reducing the power of the FDA, not “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” by dividing the FDA bureaucracy.
HFUSA: B. Do you support the FDA’s approval of genetically modified foods in the absence of any safety testing, requiring only a patent before the genetically modified food can be admixed with the food supply?
Dr. Paul: B. Consumers should have the right to choose whether or not to use genetically modified food without having the FDA deny them that choice.
HFUSA: C. Do you support the FDA’s position that since the FDA has declared genetically modified foods equivalent to natural ones in the absence of any testing to demonstrate that to be the case and its stated understanding that the public would reject genetically modified foods if they knew what they were buying and eating, that it would be false and misleading if genetically modified foods were identified as such so their labeling is prohibited?
Dr. Paul: C. Consumers have every right to demand that genetically-modified food be labeled as such.
HFUSA: Compulsory medical treatment
A. Do you support the use of the State’s powers to compel compulsory mental health or other screening, forced drugging or other medical treatment under any circumstances?
Dr. Paul: A. No; I oppose compulsory medical treatment.
HFUSA: B. Do you support removing children from parental custody when parents refuse to use medication for alleged “mental health problems” in their children?
Dr. Paul: B. The federal government has no authority to remove children from their parents’ custody because those parents have refused to medicate their children according to federal edicts.
HFUSA: C. Do you support removing children from parental custody when parents refuse to use medication for the allopathic (pharmaceutical) treatment of life threatening diseases such as cancer?
Dr. Paul: C. The federal government has no constitutional authority to remove a child from a parent’s custody because of that parent’s refusal to seek state-ordered medical treatments for their child.
HFUSA: D. Do you support the forced use of pharmaceutical or other medical treatment in adults under any circumstances?
Dr. Paul: D. I have a difficult time imaging a scenario where I would support forcing medical treatment on someone against their will, especially in my capacity as a federal elected official.
HFUSA: E. Do you support the right of parents or adult persons to chose natural medical treatments over pharmaceutical ones if they desire?
Dr. Paul: E. Of course; I support the right of adults to choose natural medical treatments. I have consistently cosponsored legislation in Congress to protect this right.
HFUSA: Mandatory screening
A. Do you support mandatory mental health or other health screening?
Dr. Paul: A. I am the leading Congressional opponent of Mandatory Mental Health Screening.
HFUSA: B. Do you support the use of Federal funds for such screening?
Dr. Paul: B. I have introduced the Parental Consent Act (HR 2387), which forbids federal funds for mandatory mental health screening of children without parental consent. I oppose any use of funds for mandatory mental health screening.
HFUSA: C. Do you support the use of Federal funds to pay for forced drugging of children or adults?
Dr. Paul: C. Yes, I oppose the use of federal funds to pay for forced medicating of children (or adults).
HFUSA: Natural Health Options
Do you support the use of Federal funds for natural medical and health therapy services and treatments on a par with pharmaceutical and other allopathic treatments, at the discretion of the patient?
Dr. Paul: As long as the federal government is financing health care, it should allow the beneficiaries to choose to use their federal funds for alternative treatments.
HFUSA: Vaccination
A. Do you oppose mandatory vaccination under all circumstances?
Dr. Paul: A. It is difficult for me to imagine a scenario where I could support forced vaccinations, especially in my capacity as a federal elected official.
HFUSA: B. Do you support continuing the pharmaceutical industry’s exemption from legal responsibility for injuries caused by vaccinations?
Dr. Paul: B. No, I do not believe the pharmaceutical industry should be protected from paying compensation to those harmed by their vaccines.
HFUSA: C. Do you support continuing the pharmaceutical industry’s exemption from legal responsibility for injuries caused by drugs approved for any indication?
Dr. Paul: C. No, the pharmaceutical industry should not be protected from being held accountable to those injured by their products.
HFUSA: . Reproductive Autonomy
A. Do you support a woman’s right to control her reproductive life without interference from the Federal government?
Dr. Paul: A. As a physician, I oppose abortion. I believe this should be dealt with by state and local governments; it is not a federal issue.
HFUSA: B. If elected, what will you pledge to do to protect the reproductive autonomy of women?
Dr. Paul: [No Answer provided]
HFUSA: Freedom Plank
How soon can the American public expect a formal Health Freedom Plank in your campaign platform?
Dr. Paul: There is further information on my position on health freedom on my website at http://www.RonPaul2008.com.
Ralph Fucetola. whose website is www.VitaminLawyer.com, writes a blog on issues pertaining to health freedom and regulatory issues. Here is Ralph’s articulate and important commentary on the absurd position of Von Eschenbach, the drug company darling running the FDA and allowing dangerous drugs to flood the market and poison Americans by the hundreds of thousands (or more: adverse reactions are notoriously under-reported).
Here is his latest blog/newsletter on Von Eschenbach ‘s dangerous dereliction of the FDA’s responsibility to the American people:
SPECIAL VLUeM – 05.31.07 – VITAMIN LAWYER UPDATE e-MEMO
PRIVATE MESSAGE: The purpose of the VLUeM e-memo is to update the Vitamin
Lawyer and Vitamin Lawyer News web sites for my contacts and client list.
Please take a look at www.vitaminlawyer.com – we have a new look and better
indexing. Private, privileged & confidential…——————————————————–
Ron Paul’s Bill is the answer to the FDA’s failings…
Head of FDA wants to work more closely with Drug Companies…
Report from Gardner Harris – “May 30 – When Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach took
over the Food and Drug Administration in 2005, the agency had a crisis over
drug approvals that had missed or ignored dangerous side effects in Vioxx,
antidepressants and other prominent medications. Dr. von Eschenbach promised
improvements, and agency officials said they would no longer be caught
flatfooted on drug safety. But this month, The New England Journal of Medicine
published a study suggesting that a major diabetes pill, Avandia, might
increase the risk of heart attacks.Concerns over that drug and others have led Republicans and Democrats in the
House and the Senate to call for investigations. A House hearing is planned
for June 6. Dr. von Eschenbach said in a briefing on Wednesday that his agency
needed to collaborate more closely with drug companies.’The point is that we need to look at the role of the F.D.A. in being a
bridge to the future, not a barrier to the future,’ he said at his office
here.”My question: is working closely with Drug Companies the solution… or the
problem?I suggest that a better solution would be promoting natural remedies without
dangerous side effects; not putting up bureaucratic barriers to them. This
can best be done by allowing people access to truthful information about
traditional, non-drug approaches; by letting natural product purveyors make
serious health claims… exactly what Ron Paul’s Health Freedom Protection Act
would do.In the twelve hours since www.globalhealthfreedom.org sent an email blast
seeking support for the Paul bill over 10,000 people have written their
congresspeople supporting the bill! We still need hundreds of thousands to
move Congress.[Note:
Here’s where to do it: http://tinyurl.com/3xwmjm orProtect our herbs, vitamins, minerals and natural remedies from bureaucratic
meddling!!
Spread the word. Ron Paul’s bill should either be passed as written or passed as an amendment to the House version of the bill that makes the FDA even more of a threat to life and liberty than it is now, Kennedy’s S. 1082 (passed May 9 with only one dissenting vote). Tell your Representatives that is what you want! Click here to direct them to protect your right to know what dietary supplements actually do for you.
The FDA is bound and determined to make that knowledge a crime, thus killing the market for dietary supplements by the efforts of the poison press (including Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s illogical, slanted and destructive article in the May 24, 2007 issue of Time Magazine) and the seductive, but equally dangerous and misleading advertising of drugs for every possible state of human experience.
If you have not already watched the “Nutricide” lecture on our home page, please do so now. It will change your life. Then get involved in making sure that everyone you know gets involved, too. That’s how we will protect our health freedom.
Yours in health and freedom,
Dr. Rima
Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org
Before I tell you what I think might be the best news we have had in a long time, let me ask your indulgence: right now, because of the strength with which people all over the world are resonating with our message, We have 10,647 non-spam emails in our email box. 6,736 are unread. So please rest assured that if you have sent the Natural Solutions Foundation (or me, for that matter) an email and have not gotten a reply it is because we are still plowing through the huge mass of very welcome communications. Every email received by the Natural Solutions Foundation gets answered by a real, live, caring and involved person. Just understand that it may take a bit of time.
As long as we are talking numbers, here are a few more:
179,358 people have sent comments to the FDA through our comments page on the dangerous FDA Guidance. A total of 426,506 folks have tried to send comments through that page but could not for technical (or other) reasons. That is a lot of people responding to this major threat to their health freedom. And, despite what is floating around the internet, it IS a major threat. One prominent health site, Mercola.com, citing the assessment of his “$500 an hour lawyer” poo pooed the idea that there is any threat from the Guidance. They are dead wrong. High fees don’t make an assessment right (or wrong) One usually high priced lawyer looses every case.
Here is what ONE of our lawyers, also high priced, who happens to be in agreement with our other high priced lawyers, wrote on his comments area:
I note that Gavin posted my Threat Assessment regarding the FDA draft CAM
guidance on this blog. The draft was “issued” on 12/26/06, though FDA waited
until 02/26/07 to give notice in the Federal Register, initially allowing
little time to reply. That’s now been extended to 05/29/07. Apparently, some
people, not used to reading the bureaucratic-speak in the draft, don’t
appreciate the potential harm in codifying bad law, thus they consider my
views controversial.Since comments are limited on this blog [REL notes: he refers here to the health site he was posting on], here is a link to a blog entry of
mine about how the FDA CAM guidance, Codex, the NAU etc. are linked and how
all need attention, since eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. Please
see:http://drrimatruthreports.com/index.php/?p=367
As stated therein, “All of these multiple assaults are, of course, connected.
They are connected in philosophy, proponents and beneficiaries. Their
proponents refuse to allow us the freedom to make our own choices, deeming
that their political power gives them the authority to decide for us. We have
had enough of such deciders. They have given us a medical system that kills
hundreds of thousands each year…”Please consider all views with an open mind. I for one refuse to disallow
anyone’s efforts to preserve and enhance health freedom, and I refuse to
condemn anyone for disagreeing with my reading of the threat inherent in the
anti-CAM guidance.
Despite the circulation of information on the web saying that the Guidance is not significant, the Natural Solutions Foundation, based on the assessment of our legal team, continues to ring this alarm bell. And the public continues to respond! Remember that the comment period has been extended to May 29 and it is vitally important to make sure that we flood the FDA with our strong commitment to maintaining our access to natural health options.
According to Alexa.com, which tracks internet use, the rank of www.HealthFreedomUSA.org in the US is 17,490 (22,832 in Canada) and 45,631 globally among all the sites that they track! They also say that 3 out of every thousand people using the internet visited our site yesterday! Clearly, the health freedom bell is ringing.
It may, just may, have rung at Codex. True, there were blankets ready to muffle its sound, but sitting in the (seemingly endless) meeting yesterday of the Codex Committee on Food Labeling a rather astonishing thing happened.
You may recall that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (which administer Codex) told Codex in July of 2005 that they wanted it to find ways to implement the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (GS) and that the Codex Committees on Food Labeling (CCFL) and Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Purposes (CCNFSDU) were tasked with doing just that. You may also recall that both of those committees dragged their feet, played parliamentary games and otherwise dodged that particular responsibility.
But this year, when the Agenda item dealing with implementation of the Global Strategy came up, it was NOT put to the end of the meeting. Instead, representatives from WHO and FAO spoke on the GS and the WHO representative, Dr. Margaret Cheney, laid out what WHO proposed. I had a hard time not whooping with excitement!
WHO wants food global labeling which includes information and statements specifically designed to allow consumers to protect their health by reducing their risk of the non communicable diseases (NCDs) of under nutrition (Cancers, CardioVascular Disease and Stroke, Diabetes and Obesity) AND it wants these labels to contain information on the — fasten your seat belts — dietary management of these diseases!
That means that WHO wants consumers all over the world to know that nutrition, food, nutrients can make them sick, protect them from getting sick, or help them get well if they are sick! That is the very information that the US government does NOT want people to have. It is the very information that CCFL does not want them to have. It is the very information that the US-supported definition of “advertising” — ANY information which is likely to reach the public and change beliefs or action about diet — does not want to allow people to have.
The WHO drew a line in the sand and the teams began to line up. Lots and lots of countries tried to explain why their consumers did not need, should not have, could not have, could not afford, could not understand, would not use, could not handle, information about nutrition on their pre-packaged food labels. Others, including the US, said that we do have mandatory labeling on pre-packaged food and that it really does help consumers to make their food choices.
Now the battle will be WHICH foods are included, which characteristics of foods will be included (total energy, added sugars, transfats, [synthetic ones from partially hydrogenated oils or natural ones or both], etc. Every lobby, every special interest group and those countries that they control, will be fighting for turf and protection for their interests. But some countries and organizations will be fighting for their people and for the right to make informed choices. We’ll see who lines up on which side! You can be sure I will keep you posted!
On another note, at the reception held by the Government of Canada for the CCFL attendees at the magnificent Museum of Civilization last night, the US Codex Point, made it a point to introduce his wife to General Stubblebine and me saying, “I want you to meet Dr. Laibow: she gives me a hard time!”. His wife said, “Yes, I’ve heard the stories!” and we had a very pleasant chat. I guess it was a bit like two attorneys who are arrayed on diametrically opposite sides of an issue still finding a way to maintain civility. Neither Dr. S. nor I changed sides, but we had a meaning conversation (including a discussion about the definition of advertising and its dangers) and opened a door for more conversation. It would be really nice if the health freedom community could engage in that civility. We had a meaningful and possibly productive conversation last night and did not waste any energy on enmity. We focused on the issues and apparently actually heard each other, at least a bit.
If the various factions of the health freedom community which choose to act without civility decided to stop slinging mud at each other and wasting energy on such infantile behavior, we would be able to get a lot further. There are real enemies out there. The Natural Solutions Foundation believes that those in the health freedom movement who spend their time attacking anyone — and everyone – who differs from their current position by the least jot or tittle are wasting the most precious resource that we have in this battle: awareness.
Unless, of course, that is their intent.
You will notice that the Natural Solutions Foundation NEVER attacks any one. We take positions, we take action, we alert and we report but we never savage or impute motivations to anyone. And we accomplish forward movement. That’s the goal.
We are, as I like to say, the ones we have been waiting for. That does not mean that we are the ones we have been waiting for to attack. At least not to us!
Stay tuned.
Today is another day of deliberations for the Codex Committee on Food Labeling (where, by the way, the juices served at breaks has fructose, added glucose and artificial flavors and colors). The munchies last night were deep fried so delegates could get their trans fat fix. The coffee break snacks are nothing but commercial carbs: not a protein molecule or veggie in sight. So much for walking the talk at Codex. I will keep you posted.
Don’t forget to mobilize your circle of influence to send in their comments on the dangerous FDA Guidance, send letters to the editor, etc. Your comments on S 1082/H 1082, the FDA Revitalization Bill of 2007 need to be heard, too.
This is the health freedom battle and it is a battle worth fighting.
Yours in health and freedom,
Dr. Rima
Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org
Oh, yes, don’t forget that health freedom isn’t free. Make your tax deductible donation now! If you already have, “thank you!”
REL