Why Would the FDA Ban, or Regulate, Supplements?
There is an old saying, “Follow the money.” Big pharmaceutical companies develop drugs to fight disease (supposedly) and then sell it via doctors to consumers. Consumers are finding that readily available vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements are often just as effective (if not MORE so) as the drugs, but without harmful side effects. Wouldn’t it then make sense for lobbyists to push to regulate away these readily available, natural supplements to protect their big pharma constituents? Yes.
And therein lies the problem. Right now, we have the choice to use supplements and herbs, if we choose to… so, in steps the FDA to take away that choice! And, as I have pointed out in an earlier Blog entry… we only have until April 30th to say anything about it!
Health freedom action alert: FDA attempting to regulate supplements, herbs and juices as “drugs”
“When it comes to health freedom, this is the FDA’s end game. A new FDA ‘guidance’ document, published on the FDA’s website, reveals plans to reclassify virtually all vitamins, supplements, herbs and even vegetable juices as FDA-regulated drugs. Massage oils and massage rocks will be classified as “medical devices” and require FDA approval. The document is called Docket No. 2006D-0480. Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is accepting public comments on the docket until April 30th. They tried to sneak this under the radar, but word got out and now the natural health community is up in arms over this rule. If you wish to protect your access to nutritional supplements, herbs, essential oils, homeopathic medicine or any other ‘complementary’ or ‘alternative’ modality, it is crucial that you take action to post your comments with the FDA right now and write your representatives in Washington to put a stop to this outrageous effort to destroy natural medicine. (And be sure to really write them. Just sending an email has virtually no impact compared to writing a physical letter in your own words.)”
Write, call, or use this link to send the FDA a message… we want access to supplements, and natural health alternatives!
Click HERE to send a message to the FDA!
Here is the FDA’s address and their phone numbers:
Food and Drug Administration
1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 200N
Rockville, MD 20852-1448
Phone: 800-835-4709 or 301-827-1800
Be sure to cite Docket No. 2006D-0480. Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration in your message, letter, or call.
Here is a link to what the FDA is saying in its “Guidence:”
Notice that it says that this, “includes, but is not limited to, botanicals, animal-derived extracts, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, prebiotics and probiotics: whole diets, and ‘functional foods’.” There is is, folks… do you want anything in this list regulated by the FDA?
I am totally against any kind of regulation on nutritional supplements or complimentary medicine.I have fibromyalgia and CFS.I was to the point where I was just exsisting.I saw many dr and had many tests and take lots of medication.But nothing was helping I just kept getting worse until I ran across a food supplement.It has changed my quality of life.My husband has his wife back and my kids have their mom back.Please do not take the one thing that helps away from me…thank you sheri knopf
this is in regards to docket 2006D-0480
guidence for industry on complimentary and alternative medicine
I find it ridiculous yet not surprising that the FDA is opting to regulate nutritional supplements and any other ways of natural healing through *Docket No. 2006D-0480. Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration*. Human beings have a right to use whatever they wish to improve their health- isn’t this supposed to be a democracy, where the opinion of each and everyone matters? Giving mandatory regulations would only give power to people in the top- they have the ability to control what we humans rightfully own- our health. Our words will decrease in worth as time passes by because of these legislations. As did the previous person who commented on this, conventional medicine are at times ineffective against curing all ailments. Do these people have the right to seek out effective means of improving their health and the quality of their life? I believe they do. And so do many others. Of course there is always the guise of ‘safety’ and what not; however when looking at the numbers- how many people have died through consuming whole and functional foods? How many people died whilst consuming herbal supplements? 2000+ years of knowledge- considered as being dangerous? How many deaths did ‘over the counter’ non prescription drugs account for? 8 little pills can thorougly damage one’s liver due to the high concentration of the active chemical ingredient. And yet a 10 year old can purchase these kinds of drugs. Many people have benefited through alternative forms of medicine, and it is simply wrong to monopolize 2000+ years of knowledge and put it under one administration’s control.
Thank you
– Luxhman Gunaseelan
We Live in America the Land of the “FREE” yet we have to fight for our right to choose a healthy alternativ????? We demand to have access to supplements, and natural health alternatives!!!!!!! This is Communistal control if the FDA can take our right to Choose a healthy alternative vs. a controled synthetic “poison” for our bodies. This would be a DEADLY Choice for all man kind!!!! The FDA….is tring to kill us and they know it….it comes down to money and control for the “BIG” Buisness boys- Pharma!!
I think it’s a misguided diversion of effort to urge us to contact the FDA. They have only contempt for heath food advocates. Messages from the latter go into the FDA waste basket faster than they can be delivered. The only communication that has a chance of having an effect is that directed to your senators and congressmen. I simply state that if they vote to restrict healthcare freedom, I will remember this if they should run for re-election.
I believe you are right that we will not change their minds. They are against real natural health, that is, indeed, true! However, I urge people to contact them so that we will not appear to be simply laying down like sheep and “taking it.” We will resist them in their efforts to destroy our personal health choices. We will stand up and be counted… we may not change their minds, but we will let them know we are out here, and we are not easily cowed!