FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up on Food

[Guest guest]

It's all about the money....: (

 

Supplements may directly compete with drugs....food, on the other hand, being

genetically modified is now becoming wholly corporate owned and

controlled....the y may control how it is marketed......

 

Khepri

 

 

> Comments?

> Misty

> http://www..com

>

> FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up on Food

>

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Comments?

Misty

http://www..com

 

FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up on Food

 

Wed December 18, 2002 05:56 PM ET

By Todd Zwillich

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - Food manufacturers will for the first

time be allowed to tout the health benefits of their products even

if there is no scientific consensus as to the foods' benefit, under

a plan announced Wednesday by Bush administration officials.

 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials also announced that

they would step up enforcement against several categories of dietary

supplements where misleading claims about health benefits are

rampant.

 

The change in food labels allows manufacturers to make health claims

as long as the " weight of scientific evidence " supports the claim.

Until now, such claims were barred unless manufacturers could show

that they were supported by complete agreement among scientists. For

example, oatmeal makers could advertise the cholesterol-lowering

properties of their product because there was scientific consensus

on the subject.

 

Administration officials said that the plan would promote public

health by attracting consumers to healthier foods when most of the

science supports their benefits.

 

" Our goal is to help consumers make sound decisions, " said Dr. Mark

B. McClellan, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

 

McClellan said that the program would also spur competition among

manufacturers to produce more nutritious products.

 

Food manufacturers praised the move, saying that it would give

shoppers better information about which foods are best for their

health. But the plan drew harsh criticism from one consumer group,

which argued that it would only serve to encourage food companies to

produce junk science in support of the claims.

 

Under the plan, food manufacturers will submit a proposed health

claim and scientific data supporting it to FDA for a food ingredient

such as omega-3 fatty acids. The compound, found in oily deep-sea

fish like salmon, has been shown in some studies to reduce the risk

of heart disease.

 

FDA regulators will review the science supporting the claim and will

approve its use on product labeling if the " weight of the scientific

evidence " supports it, according to FDA documents.

 

McClellan said that the lower scientific burden would allow

consumers to benefit from healthier foods even when " it's not a

completely settled scientific issue. "

 

FDA has yet to finalize the process it will use to review the

claims, or exactly how it will define the amount of scientific

evidence needed to make a claim legal, officials said. The agency

has set up a task force to establish a review process and recommend

final regulation that will govern the process, they said.

 

McClellan said that most health claims would be " qualified, " meaning

that statement connecting the product's use to health benefits would

be qualified with a disclaimer alerting consumers that evidence is

strong but not conclusive.

 

" It's scientific evidence that determines whether or not we're going

to allow these claims, " McClellan said.

 

Rhona S. Applebaum, vice president of the National Food Processors

Association, an industry group, said that the new program frees up

manufacturers to alert consumers to the health benefits of many

foods for which at least some scientific debate is ongoing.

 

She cited studies supporting the role of high-fiber foods in

reducing the risk of colon cancer, and a growing body of scientific

research showing that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables

lowers cancer risk.

 

" To wait until there is essentially a firm conclusion...science

rarely comes to a firm conclusion on anything. It can take decades, "

she said.

 

But Larry Sasich, a research analyst with the Public Citizen health

research group, attacked the program, saying it would allow

companies to plant low-quality studies in research journals and then

submit them as scientific proof of a food's health benefits.

 

" What is going to be fostered is spurious and unreliable studies, "

Sasich said. " No matter how bad the science is, if the guys that

wrote it are persistent enough, they're going to get it published

somewhere in the medical literature. "

 

Officials also announced a move to crack down on unsubstantiated

health claims made by dietary supplements makers. Regulators at both

FDA and the Federal Trade Commission have become increasingly

concerned about supplements makers who claim health benefits on

product labels without scientific backup.

 

McClellan said that FDA planned to step up scrutiny of supplements

in nine major categories, including supplements that claim to treat

life-threatening diseases--such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and lupus--as

well as weight loss products and autism treatments.

 

Supplements claiming to treat mental retardation, to prevent

Alzheimer's disease and to prevent hangovers could also be targeted,

he said.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=1931337

 

Sandy Mintz

http://www.vaccinationnews.com

http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Scandals/past_scandals.htm

 

" Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. " - Wendell Phillips

(1811-1884),

paraphrasing John Philpot Curran (1808)

 

http://www.909shot.com

http://www.redflagsweekly.com

[Guest guest]

Dear Khepri,

I think you hit the nail on the head!

Misty

http://www..com

 

 

, khepri3@a... wrote:

>

> It's all about the money....: (

>

> Supplements may directly compete with drugs....food, on the other

hand, being

> genetically modified is now becoming wholly corporate owned and

> controlled....the y may control how it is marketed......

>

> Khepri

>

>

> > Comments?

> > Misty

> > http://www..com

> >

> > FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up on Food

> >

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Misty.

 

Nothing like playing a game in which the other side makes all the rules (and

changes them whenever they like).

 

Namaste`

 

Walt

 

-

<mistytrepke

 

Wednesday, February 19, 2003 6:05 PM

FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up

on Food

 

 

> Comments?

> Misty

> http://www..com

>

> FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up on Food

>

> Wed December 18, 2002 05:56 PM ET

> By Todd Zwillich

>

> WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - Food manufacturers will for the first

> time be allowed to tout the health benefits of their products even

> if there is no scientific consensus as to the foods' benefit, under

> a plan announced Wednesday by Bush administration officials.

>

> Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials also announced that

> they would step up enforcement against several categories of dietary

> supplements where misleading claims about health benefits are

> rampant.

>

> The change in food labels allows manufacturers to make health claims

> as long as the " weight of scientific evidence " supports the claim.

> Until now, such claims were barred unless manufacturers could show

> that they were supported by complete agreement among scientists. For

> example, oatmeal makers could advertise the cholesterol-lowering

> properties of their product because there was scientific consensus

> on the subject.

>

> Administration officials said that the plan would promote public

> health by attracting consumers to healthier foods when most of the

> science supports their benefits.

>

> " Our goal is to help consumers make sound decisions, " said Dr. Mark

> B. McClellan, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

>

> McClellan said that the program would also spur competition among

> manufacturers to produce more nutritious products.

>

> Food manufacturers praised the move, saying that it would give

> shoppers better information about which foods are best for their

> health. But the plan drew harsh criticism from one consumer group,

> which argued that it would only serve to encourage food companies to

> produce junk science in support of the claims.

>

> Under the plan, food manufacturers will submit a proposed health

> claim and scientific data supporting it to FDA for a food ingredient

> such as omega-3 fatty acids. The compound, found in oily deep-sea

> fish like salmon, has been shown in some studies to reduce the risk

> of heart disease.

>

> FDA regulators will review the science supporting the claim and will

> approve its use on product labeling if the " weight of the scientific

> evidence " supports it, according to FDA documents.

>

> McClellan said that the lower scientific burden would allow

> consumers to benefit from healthier foods even when " it's not a

> completely settled scientific issue. "

>

> FDA has yet to finalize the process it will use to review the

> claims, or exactly how it will define the amount of scientific

> evidence needed to make a claim legal, officials said. The agency

> has set up a task force to establish a review process and recommend

> final regulation that will govern the process, they said.

>

> McClellan said that most health claims would be " qualified, " meaning

> that statement connecting the product's use to health benefits would

> be qualified with a disclaimer alerting consumers that evidence is

> strong but not conclusive.

>

> " It's scientific evidence that determines whether or not we're going

> to allow these claims, " McClellan said.

>

> Rhona S. Applebaum, vice president of the National Food Processors

> Association, an industry group, said that the new program frees up

> manufacturers to alert consumers to the health benefits of many

> foods for which at least some scientific debate is ongoing.

>

> She cited studies supporting the role of high-fiber foods in

> reducing the risk of colon cancer, and a growing body of scientific

> research showing that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables

> lowers cancer risk.

>

> " To wait until there is essentially a firm conclusion...science

> rarely comes to a firm conclusion on anything. It can take decades, "

> she said.

>

> But Larry Sasich, a research analyst with the Public Citizen health

> research group, attacked the program, saying it would allow

> companies to plant low-quality studies in research journals and then

> submit them as scientific proof of a food's health benefits.

>

> " What is going to be fostered is spurious and unreliable studies, "

> Sasich said. " No matter how bad the science is, if the guys that

> wrote it are persistent enough, they're going to get it published

> somewhere in the medical literature. "

>

> Officials also announced a move to crack down on unsubstantiated

> health claims made by dietary supplements makers. Regulators at both

> FDA and the Federal Trade Commission have become increasingly

> concerned about supplements makers who claim health benefits on

> product labels without scientific backup.

>

> McClellan said that FDA planned to step up scrutiny of supplements

> in nine major categories, including supplements that claim to treat

> life-threatening diseases--such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and lupus--as

> well as weight loss products and autism treatments.

>

> Supplements claiming to treat mental retardation, to prevent

> Alzheimer's disease and to prevent hangovers could also be targeted,

> he said.

> http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=1931337

>

> Sandy Mintz

> http://www.vaccinationnews.com

> http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Scandals/past_scandals.htm

>

> " Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. " - Wendell Phillips

> (1811-1884),

> paraphrasing John Philpot Curran (1808)

>

> http://www.909shot.com

> http://www.redflagsweekly.com

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Walt, all

 

That just about sums it up pretty well )

--Muse

 

 

aussie_heart_arrhythmia

Msn Messenger ; themuse007

ICQ : # 119 453 422

Msn : themuse007

-

waltstoll

Thursday, February 20, 2003 11:05 PM

Re: FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up

on Food

 

 

Hi, Misty.

 

Nothing like playing a game in which the other side makes all the rules (and

changes them whenever they like).

 

Namaste`

 

Walt

 

-

<mistytrepke

Wednesday, February 19, 2003 6:05 PM

FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up

on Food

 

 

> Comments?

> Misty

> http://www..com

>

> FDA Cracks Down on Supplements, Eases Up on Food

>

> Wed December 18, 2002 05:56 PM ET

> By Todd Zwillich

>

> WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - Food manufacturers will for the first

> time be allowed to tout the health benefits of their products even

> if there is no scientific consensus as to the foods' benefit, under

> a plan announced Wednesday by Bush administration officials.

>

> Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials also announced that

> they would step up enforcement against several categories of dietary

> supplements where misleading claims about health benefits are

> rampant.

>

> The change in food labels allows manufacturers to make health claims

> as long as the " weight of scientific evidence " supports the claim.

> Until now, such claims were barred unless manufacturers could show

> that they were supported by complete agreement among scientists. For

> example, oatmeal makers could advertise the cholesterol-lowering

> properties of their product because there was scientific consensus

> on the subject.

>

> Administration officials said that the plan would promote public

> health by attracting consumers to healthier foods when most of the

> science supports their benefits.

>

> " Our goal is to help consumers make sound decisions, " said Dr. Mark

> B. McClellan, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

>

> McClellan said that the program would also spur competition among

> manufacturers to produce more nutritious products.

>

> Food manufacturers praised the move, saying that it would give

> shoppers better information about which foods are best for their

> health. But the plan drew harsh criticism from one consumer group,

> which argued that it would only serve to encourage food companies to

> produce junk science in support of the claims.

>

> Under the plan, food manufacturers will submit a proposed health

> claim and scientific data supporting it to FDA for a food ingredient

> such as omega-3 fatty acids. The compound, found in oily deep-sea

> fish like salmon, has been shown in some studies to reduce the risk

> of heart disease.

>

> FDA regulators will review the science supporting the claim and will

> approve its use on product labeling if the " weight of the scientific

> evidence " supports it, according to FDA documents.

>

> McClellan said that the lower scientific burden would allow

> consumers to benefit from healthier foods even when " it's not a

> completely settled scientific issue. "

>

> FDA has yet to finalize the process it will use to review the

> claims, or exactly how it will define the amount of scientific

> evidence needed to make a claim legal, officials said. The agency

> has set up a task force to establish a review process and recommend

> final regulation that will govern the process, they said.

>

> McClellan said that most health claims would be " qualified, " meaning

> that statement connecting the product's use to health benefits would

> be qualified with a disclaimer alerting consumers that evidence is

> strong but not conclusive.

>

> " It's scientific evidence that determines whether or not we're going

> to allow these claims, " McClellan said.

>

> Rhona S. Applebaum, vice president of the National Food Processors

> Association, an industry group, said that the new program frees up

> manufacturers to alert consumers to the health benefits of many

> foods for which at least some scientific debate is ongoing.

>

> She cited studies supporting the role of high-fiber foods in

> reducing the risk of colon cancer, and a growing body of scientific

> research showing that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables

> lowers cancer risk.

>

> " To wait until there is essentially a firm conclusion...science

> rarely comes to a firm conclusion on anything. It can take decades, "

> she said.

>

> But Larry Sasich, a research analyst with the Public Citizen health

> research group, attacked the program, saying it would allow

> companies to plant low-quality studies in research journals and then

> submit them as scientific proof of a food's health benefits.

>

> " What is going to be fostered is spurious and unreliable studies, "

> Sasich said. " No matter how bad the science is, if the guys that

> wrote it are persistent enough, they're going to get it published

> somewhere in the medical literature. "

>

> Officials also announced a move to crack down on unsubstantiated

> health claims made by dietary supplements makers. Regulators at both

> FDA and the Federal Trade Commission have become increasingly

> concerned about supplements makers who claim health benefits on

> product labels without scientific backup.

>

> McClellan said that FDA planned to step up scrutiny of supplements

> in nine major categories, including supplements that claim to treat

> life-threatening diseases--such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and lupus--as

> well as weight loss products and autism treatments.

>

> Supplements claiming to treat mental retardation, to prevent

> Alzheimer's disease and to prevent hangovers could also be targeted,

> he said.

> http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=1931337

>

> Sandy Mintz

> http://www.vaccinationnews.com

> http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Scandals/past_scandals.htm

>

> " Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. " - Wendell Phillips

> (1811-1884),

> paraphrasing John Philpot Curran (1808)

>

> http://www.909shot.com

> http://www.redflagsweekly.com

>

>

>

>