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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: Arizona Carolyn

Well, I've read something close to it. And yes, I agree, commercial pet foods are garbage with the exception of a few human-grade foods. Iams used to be good (like 15 years ago - whatever they have now makes the dog want to poop 10 times a day).

My lab gets a lot of "supplemented" human food when he cruises the counters or eats at the old Trash Can Buffet :)

The cat, having been diagnosed with Leuk & FIV, is on Wysong or Innova (depends on if the dog eats it all and I can't make it to a mom & pops pet store to get the Innova.) Vet recommended interferon therapy - cat shriveled and lost a lot of hair, lymph nodes enlarged to the point he couldn't swallow.

I said enough of this: changed diet, changed litter to a pine/paper pellet mixture, I throw a couple drops of silver on his fur every other day for him to lick off and add an antioxidant supplement daily. Cat gained 4 pounds, fur is back, eyes clear and lymph nodes are only a tiny bit enlarged. Respiratory infection (treated with 2 courses of antibiotics to no avail) is gone. Cat attacks Lab again, so I KNOW he's feeling good ;)

But you know, all this stuff simply "supports" health and doesn't cure anything (big wink).


41 posted on 11/17/2006 4:35:11 PM PST by Dasaji (...If you can't laugh at it, you'll go crazy!)
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To: OldFriend

ping


42 posted on 11/17/2006 5:06:58 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

What about freedom of choice, something we conservatives are supposed to be all for? If someone would rather go to a heath food store than a pharmacy what business is it of anyone else? It's their body.

Plenty of alternative therapies have proven useful in controlled, double blind studies. Others have not. Plenty of prescription medications have had to be removed from the market after proving to be harmful, so FDA approval is no guarantee of anything.

I trust consumers a lot more than I trust the likes of Dick Durbin and the proponents of the cradle-to-grave Nanny State to make intelligent choices about what to put into their bodies. The last thing we should do is allow socialists more power over our personal lives.


43 posted on 11/17/2006 5:37:50 PM PST by LadyNavyVet
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To: WVNan
I'm reading this thread from the bottom up....so I hope this is appropo.

A freeper recommended Sambucol. If I could ever recommend anything that is truly a life saver it is that liquid. It's an immune booster specifically for upper respiratory health. We take other things specific to our health needs but I never ever skip the Sambucol.

44 posted on 11/17/2006 5:56:31 PM PST by OldFriend (WEAKNESS IS A PROVOCATION, AN INVITATION TO OUR FOES TO CONFRONT US)
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To: shield

BUMP!! These scumbags must be stopped.


45 posted on 11/17/2006 6:00:47 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Arizona Carolyn

Thsillyn has worked wonders for liver function for hubby following serious SERIOUS surgery.


46 posted on 11/17/2006 6:00:51 PM PST by OldFriend (WEAKNESS IS A PROVOCATION, AN INVITATION TO OUR FOES TO CONFRONT US)
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To: shield

Orin Hatch has long long since been against any such legislation. How can Durbin force anything thru this Senate. The new term doesn't start until January.


47 posted on 11/17/2006 6:02:55 PM PST by OldFriend (WEAKNESS IS A PROVOCATION, AN INVITATION TO OUR FOES TO CONFRONT US)
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To: OldFriend

I will remember that if I ever start to have upper respitory problems. So far, I have extremely good lungs. I can run up 37 steps without getting winded. I do that on a regular basis at the riverfront park. I take the things that are called for in my particular weaknesses. Eyes and nerves for example.


48 posted on 11/17/2006 6:06:25 PM PST by WVNan
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To: WVNan
This was designed for the flu. I cannot believe how quickly it worked for hubby. When he gets a cold it usually turns into a near death experience and then the antibiotics nearly finish him off.

Second day with this and he was nearly completely better. His office is a great breeding ground for every bug that goes around. It's safe for children as well.

49 posted on 11/17/2006 6:17:43 PM PST by OldFriend (WEAKNESS IS A PROVOCATION, AN INVITATION TO OUR FOES TO CONFRONT US)
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To: OldFriend
Milk Thistle is wonderful for our livers. People don't think about how our livers are the garbage pail of our bodies and especially as we age needs help, especially after surgery to help rid the body of the after effects of the anesthesia.

Just remember that it has to be taken twice a day because it has a half life of 6 - 8 hours.

I give it to my dogs as well because they are so close to the ground and sniff all kinds of toxins we dont' even think about...

50 posted on 11/17/2006 7:02:43 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: OldFriend

That's good and a homeopathic remedy called Occisillium (which I saw this evening they are selling at WalMart now in the section where the cough drops and things are at).. keep it on hand and at the first sign of getting the flu follow the instructions of one vial every six hours... Some speculate this could be a benificial remedy for Bird Flu, as well.... We also take the homeopathic flu vaccine instead of the injection which contains mercury.


51 posted on 11/17/2006 7:05:25 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Lancey Howard
I think our representatives in congress and senate (especially in the senate) have forgotten about the Boston Tea Party and what it stood for.

BTW, this is one more black mark against McCain.. he is against most supplements from everything I know about him.

People on here need to ask: What is the AMA afraid of that they want these banned, but more, everyone needs to know this isn't just here, it's WW and part of the UN's WHO.

52 posted on 11/17/2006 7:07:37 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Dasaji
~LOL~.... our dog fell out of a shopping cart at Home Depot several years ago and dislocated both hips, was scheduled for surgery but not for a week, while the vet tried to get her hips to stay in the sockets on their own... she was in great pain, and I refuse to allow Rymadyl, instead used Valerian and Melatonin to keep her relaxed because if you are relaxed pain isn't as much an issue for any of us...

Anyway, each day I brought her food with supplements including Joint Support which contains Glucosamine, Boswellia (which is a natural anti-inflammatory) yucca and other things... by the end of the week she was standing and wagging her tail when we came in... the surgery was cancelled on Saturday due to emergencies the vet had that were life-threatening.

We brought her home that weekend and continued to treat including some homeopathic remedies and she walked in the vet under her own steam the following Monday.

The vet cancelled her surgery and even though she still had dislocated hips, she ran and played and never showed pain, even after she came down with Cushings, which leads to weakness in the rear end... it never happened in her case.

But, no (grin) supplements don't work...

53 posted on 11/17/2006 7:13:38 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: LadyNavyVet
There was a thread here not too long ago that vaccines are being pulled out from under the current department that approves them because of conflict of interest between the people that approve them and the pharmaceutical companies.

Everytime we turn around there is a new vaccine for this and that. What I'd like to know is why no one ever talks about the fact that vaccines are not without danger.

54 posted on 11/17/2006 7:15:59 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: shield

They would, wouldn't they. Don't people ever wonder why Ole Roy can make a bag of dog food at the price they sell it for and have any decent ingredients in it? People need to learn to read lables and calculate the carbohydrates in the dog food.. dog's don't do well on carbs, they need fats for energy.


55 posted on 11/17/2006 7:26:47 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: WVNan

If a doctor or vet cures you they and the drug companies lose a patient. We are seldom if ever sick in our house, either.


56 posted on 11/17/2006 7:28:14 PM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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To: Dasaji

>> Umm, the same can be said for pharmaceuticals. <<

Can "pharmaceuticals" result in deaths due to unforeseen negative health effects? Yes. But the only difference between a pharmaceutical and a "natural supplement" is that the pharmaceutical has been reduced to solely the sought-after ingredient, and been rigorously tested to *minimize* harmful effects.

>>>> 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. <<

Yes, UNTESTED chemicals ("natural supplements") existed long before TESTED chemicals did, since effective testing is only recent. Many UNTESTED chemicals (such as salisylic acid) became TESTED chemicals (salisylic acid, a derivative of Willow bark, is now called Aspirin). But treating UNTESTED chemicals as if they are safer than TESTED chemicals is just plain stupid.


57 posted on 11/17/2006 7:41:42 PM PST by dangus (Pope calls Islam violent; Millions of Moslems demonstrate)
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To: Ken H

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

Damned straight, I would! If I found out that Taurine and SAM-e are dangerous, I sure as hell wouldn't want to continue taking them, wouldn't you? Since you probably aren't insane, I must conclude that you've bought into the Marxist bullsh*t about "big pharma," "tainted by capaign contributions," etc. This thread reads like a DU Tinfoil Hat post.


58 posted on 11/17/2006 7:44:46 PM PST by dangus (Pope calls Islam violent; Millions of Moslems demonstrate)
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To: dangus
If I found out that Taurine and SAM-e are dangerous, I sure as hell wouldn't want to continue taking them, wouldn't you?

Of course not. Now, let's say the FDA bans Taurine and SAMe as quack medicine, suckering gullible people with mood disorders away from mainstream treatment. Should the federal government make such decisions, or should it be your call?

I must conclude that you've bought into the Marxist bullsh*t about "big pharma," "tainted by capaign contributions," etc.

Is delusional thinking a reported side effect of SAMe or Taurine? Just curious.

59 posted on 11/17/2006 8:03:43 PM PST by Ken H
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To: Arizona Carolyn

Milk Thistle.....I know I know


60 posted on 11/18/2006 6:48:10 AM PST by OldFriend (WEAKNESS IS A PROVOCATION, AN INVITATION TO OUR FOES TO CONFRONT US)
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