Guest guest Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Hiya, " It could wipe out hundreds of really useful herbs, not on the basis of consumer protection or science, but on the basis of geography - herbs that have been used safely for hundreds of years in the Americas, Africa, India and China. " You've probably already heard of the EU initiative to ban many of the herbs & food supplements currently being sold freely. Brits (inc ex-pats) can make a difference (supposedly) by emailing your MP before the debate in parliament on Tuesday (details at end). Meanwhile here's a flavour of how the MEPs are bowing to the pharmaceuticals. " The second attack takes the form of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive, which says that herbal remedies can only be licensed if they can be shown to be safe and produced to high standards. That sounds reasonable enough - until you learn that herbal remedies will be licensed in the same way as drugs. A company making garlic capsules, for example, will have to go through many of the same regulatory hoops as a company producing a new pharmaceutical drug. Estimates for the cost of getting these herbal licences vary from £10,000 to several million pounds a product. This would almost certainly deter all but the largest companies from producing remedies such as St 's wort, kava kava, gingko biloba, red clover, rhodiola, evening primrose oil and ginger. There is no prospect of several manufacturers pooling resources to get an ingredient licensed, because each company's formulation will be treated as individual. " Furthermore, to get a licence, a specific product must have been on the market for 30 years, 15 of which must have been in Europe. The effects of that time bar are dramatic. Black cohosh, for example, an oestrogenic herb traditionally used by native Americans, has demonstrated results superior to hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of menopausal symptoms, with women who take the herb reporting fewer adverse events, even than those taking a placebo. " But black cohosh has only been available here for around five years, so, like any product introduced since 1973 - in other words, the most cutting-edge herbal products - it will become illegal. As yet unknown herbal remedies might never even see the light of day in Europe. " This is highly restrictive and racist, " says Holford, founder of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition. " It could wipe out hundreds of really useful herbs, not on the basis of consumer protection or science, but on the basis of geography - herbs that have been used safely for hundreds of years in the Americas, Africa, India and China. " http://www.jcrows.com/HealthSupplementsRIP.html www.alliance-natural-health.org >> The Campaign for Truth in Medicine requires your >> help urgently over the next day or so to help the >> Alliance for Natural Health fight a landmark initiative >> in the European Court which threatens the freedom >> of choice in healthcare for all European citizens. >> Please read Dr Verkerk's letter below, and >> then pen the required e-mails off without delay. If >> you are an ex-patriot Brit, still write in. This is one of >> the most important things we all need to do this >> year. >> >> Many thanks for your help! >> Day >> www.campaignfortruth.com >> URGENT - ACTION NEEDED THIS WEEKEND BY UK >> CITIZENS >> >> Please pass on this message to your friends - >> distribute as widely as you can to UK contacts. >> >> We are sending this message to seek your urgent >> assistance with the campaign to stop the EU Food >> Supplements Directive's proposed ban on 75% of >> vitamin and mineral forms, found in some 5000 >> products currently sold in UK health stores and via >> practitioners. >> >> We will be in the European Court in Luxembourg on >> 25 January defending our landmark case to overturn >> the ban. >> >> On the same evening of our case, this coming >> Tuesday, to coincide with the legal action being >> taken in Luxembourg, Conservative MP Grayling >> and Labour MP Kate Hoey will lead a cross-Party >> effort to force the Government to renegotiate the >> Directive and end the threat to most bio-available >> forms of vitamins and minerals in the UK. >> >> The Opposition have given up half a day of the time >> allocated to them for this debate, and it will provide >> an opportunity for MPs to vote against the Directive >> and to instruct the Government to go back to >> Brussels and renegotiate its provisions. >> >> We need your help. We need to put as much >> pressure on MPs as possible to vote with us on >> Tuesday. Please can you send an email to your own >> MP at Westminster over the weekend or before >> Tuesday lunchtime urging them to back the motion >> and to oppose the Directive. >> >> The email address for MPs works in the following >> way: the surname and the initial followed by >> @parliament.uk. So Reid, the Health Secretary's >> email address would be reidj@... and the >> Junior Minister involved, 's would be >> johnsonm@.... >> >> You might like to send an email to both of them as >> well. >> Please give us your help. The Alliance for Natural >> Health, and its collaborating organisations in Europe >> and around the world, are in the last-chance saloon >> for leading-edge food (dietary) supplements. We >> have to get the UK Government - who are opposing >> our case in the European Court -to listen. >> >> And if they won't, we need to let them know how >> angry we are. >> >> Thanks in anticipation of your help. >> >> Dr Verkerk >> executive director >> Alliance for Natural Health >> info@... >> www.alliance-natural-health.org >> (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=r6cn69aab.0.wd4p69aab.ppq9qun6.3535 & p=http%3A%2 F%2Fwww.alliance-natural-health.org) -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.1 - Release Date: 19/01/2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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