From: starr@genie.slhs.udel.edu (Tim Starr)
Subject: More Evidence Against the FDA
Organization: UDel, School of Life & Health Sciences
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 06:52:57 GMT


I know some will react badly to the source, but please be patient and weigh this
on its merits, such as they may be.

Reprinted from Penthouse, Jan. 1993

Health

by Gary Null

As the country continues its headlong descent into a health-care crisis, the
actions of the Food and Drug Administration just get curiouser and curiouser.
Consider this scenario: in May FDA agents raided the Tahoma Clinic in Kent,
Washington, run by the highly respected Jonathan Wright, MD.  The agents broke
down the door and searched out their target - "vitamin-mineral compounds" not
"approved" for use in the United States.  They also shut down the clinic, for
all practical purposes.  Dr. Wright has yet to be charged with a crime or
violation.

This incident, coupled with similar raids of health-food stores in Texas, marks
a systematic undermining of the natural-health field.  No longer content to
ignore the scientific literature supporting the health benefits of nutrients
and herbs, now the FDA wants to shut off or restrict consumer access to many
economical, natural, and nontoxic products, including nutrient supplements and
herbs.

The vehicle for this attack is the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, signed
into law last year.  Under this legislation the FDa has proposed to limit the
availability of vitamins and minerals exceeding the agency's reccomended daily
amounts.  In practice, this means that such dosages could not be manufactured
and sold.  The agency also wants to estabish new reccomended intake levels for
various nutrients that, in some cases, are LOWER than existing levels.  Finally,
its proposal would pevent manufacturers of such supplements from making specific
health-benefit claims and would cut off the supply of most herbs having
medicinal properties.

The FDA's intent, not to mention its timing, it highly suspect: in recent years
the cost of health care has soared out of control, and the number of Americans
without health insurance has risen to nearly 40 million.  Now is the time to
focus on PREVENTIVE HEALTH, which starts with diet and nutrition; to explore
affordable ways to prevent health ailments and optimize our well-being.  But
the FDA wants to ban or restrict out use of vitamins and minerals and put a lid
on the types of health information available.

The following statement, which shows that the FDA has a long-standing and deeply
-ingrained opposition to the natural-health field, appeared in the May 26, 1992,
issue of the FOOD AND DRUG INSIDER REPORT:

"There is a definite bias against alternative medicine within the FDA.  It would
not matter how much scientific evidence accumulated, we just will not recognize
the credibility of this field of medicine.  The historical bias continues, and
cannot be overcome.  When the FDA is accused of being unfair to alternative-
medicine providers, it's true."

Today the battle for freedom of choice in health care is also being waged in
Congress.  Congressman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) sponsored a bill that the
New York Times says would "grant to the [FDA] what some consumer advocates say
are sweeping new powers, including warrantless searches and electronic
surveillance..."

The events in recent months have prompted a public outcry.  In early June,
Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) responded by introducing the Health Freedom Act of
1992.  In essence, this legislation would create a separate classication for
nutritional supplements and herbs, preventing them from being regulated by 
the FDA.

Less than two months later, a companion bill was introduced in the House of
Representatives by Congressman Bill Richardson (D-N. Mex.).

If we are to bring the health care crisis to an end, our health-care options
must be expanded, not contracted.  It's time to send a message to Congress: We
want freedm of choice in health care.  Don't sit this one out - call your
representatives TODAY.
Newsgroups: talk.politics.medicine