From: lpb@florida.swdc.stratus.com (Len B.)
Newsgroups: sci.med.nutrition
Subject: FDA Legislation Ready to Remove Vitamins
Date: 15 Oct 92 21:16:15 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Informed Consent


I found this sci.med....if something isn't done soon...those
criminals (ie: FDA/AMA) will get their way and all vitmains
and minerals and herbs will be available ONLY BY
PRESCRIPTION!!!! Call your local CongressPerson or
SenatorPerson immediately and tell them to SUPPORT SEN. ORIN
HATCHE'S VILL TO KEEP ALTERNATIVE HEALTH SUPPLEMENST
(vitamins) ON THE OVER-THE-COUNTER BASIS THEY ARE ON NOW!!!!

Len
===================================================================
Here is a press release from the Nutritional Health Alliance.

 Poll Shows Overwhelming Majority of Americans Do Not Support FDA
Regarding Regulation of Vitamin Claims
 T: National Desk, Medical Writer
 Contact: Carol Wilshire, 310-201-8806, or
          Joan M. Stewart, 310-201-8866,
          of Rogers & Cowan Inc., Los Angeles

   WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- A recent nationwide poll from 
Yankelovich Clancy Shulman reveals that a large majority of
Americans support the key provisions of the Health Freedom Act of
1992 (S. 2835) and the Health Choices Freedom Act (H.R. 5746) to
protect vitamins, herbs and minerals from increased Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulations.
   The Health Freedom Act was authored by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)
to ensure that safe and beneficial nutritional supplements are
available to consumers.  The bill would authorize health claims in
advertising or on labels if they do not mislead the consumer and are
backed by scientific evidence.
   Hatch also proposes that a supplement should not be classified as
a drug based on its potency level or due to the health claim in
the product's advertising or labeling.
   Rep. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) introduced a modified version of the
Hatch bill in the U.S. House of Representatives called the Health
Choices Freedom Act.  The bill adds some important consumer
provisions designed for improved labeling of dietary supplements and
the validation of health claims.
   More than eight out of 10 (85 percent) of the U.S. consumers
participating in the telephone survey believe that vitamin
mnufacturers should be allowed to make health claims for their
products.
   According to the poll, Americans strongly value their right to
choose dosages.  Sixty-three percent feel they should be able to
choose the strength or potency of nutritional products if scientific
evidence indicates the products are safe and may help prevent
disease.
   The Yankelovich survey found that health care freedom of choice is
an important issue to the many Americans who purchase vitamins, herbs
and minerals.  Nearly half (46 percent) of those interviewed in the
telephone survey take nutritional supplements on a regular basis.
Eight out of 10 (82 percent) believe that people should not be
required to get a doctor's prescription to buy nutritional
supplements.
   Poll results reflect that Americans feel strongly about having
access to vitamins, herbs and minerals.  An overwhelming majority (89
percent) think consumers should be able to buy -- and companies to
sell -- nutritional supplements, as long as the labeling and
advertising have a reasonable scientific basis and are not
misleading.
   Recently proposed FDA restrictions would dramatically reduce the
legal dosages of vitamins and minerals to potencies found in foods,
classifying some nutritional supplements as unsafe food additives,
regulating herbs and amino acids as drugs, limiting amino acids to
prescription, among other regulations.
   Unless Congress acts before the current session ends Oct. 2, up to
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
half of all supplements at the local health food store may be soon
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
off the shelves.
   The survey also found majority (70 percent) disapproval of
proposed FDA classification of nutritional supplements -- such as
herbs or amino acids -- as drugs solely due to strength or potency.
Nearly two-thirds (68 percent) do not support drug classification of
nutritional supplements only because a truthful health claim is made
in the product's advertisements or labeling.
   The Yankelovich study included a nationwide sample of 502 U.S.
adults.  The survey was conducted by telephone between Sept. 10 and
Sept. 13.  The margin of error for the total sample of the
Yankelovich poll is plus or minus 4 percent.
   The U.S. Senate last week passed the Labor HHS Appropriations bill
with an amendment by Sen. Hatch to postpone implementation of
Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) provisions concerning
dietary supplements.  House and Senate versions of the bill are
headed for conference committee this Thursday, Sept. 24.
   The survey was commissioned by the Nutritional Health Alliance
(NHA), a non-profit organization, to determine U.S. consumer support
of the issue.  The coalition group was organized to create a unified
voice among consumers, health care professionals, and health food
industry manufacturers and retailers in an effort to protect
nutritional supplements.
   Further information is available from the Nutritional Health
Alliance, P.O. Box 267, Farmingdale, N.Y. 11735.  Telephone:
516-249-7070.

 -0-

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The accountability of government has gone to the point where the very
use of the law is the instrument of illegality.
		-- Ralph Nader @ Harvard Law School, 1/15/92