Stop Dietary Supplements being clasified as Drugs by FDA

[Guest guest]

Dear Supporter,

 

On April 17th, 2008, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) submitted a

Citizen Petition calling for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to

reclassify all weight loss support claims for dietary supplements as disease

claims.

 

If the FDA were to agree with this petition, American consumers would

unarguably be cheated out of hundreds of legally and responsibly marketed

dietary

supplement products.

 

Click Below to Tell the FDA to Reject GSK's Petition

 

(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2 & c=8LwbvZPCTUFp9Ox4khfJ2lN1\

46i4FngB)

Since FDA bureaucrats do not have to pay attention to your comments, send a

copy to your Congressperson and Senators-each state has 2.

For your Representative go to _www.house.gov_ (http://www.house.gov) and

put in your zip code to find your representative.

For your Senators _www.senate.gov_ (http://www.senate.gov) each state has 2

senators.

In the petition's summary, GSK and its co-petitioners state: " Moreover, the

actions requested in this petition would help address concerns about the

safety of weight loss supplements " . They go on to say: " By requiring

weight-loss

supplements to undergo pre-market review, FDA would shift the burden to

manufacturers to show that their products are safe. "

 

Doesn't it just give you the warm and fuzzies to know that one of the

largest pharmaceutical giants in the world is looking out for your safety?

 

Of course, they didn't seem so concerned when they pushed for

over-the-counter approval for their weight loss drug, alliâ„¢, which has a

history of side

effects like anal leakage and has caused such serious problems as pre-cancerous

lesions.

 

Click Below and Tell the FDA to Keep Their Hands Off Of Your Supplements

 

(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2 & c=5sRio/p6fYq/MPMZehysQlN1\

46i4FngB)

Given the solid safety record of dietary supplements sold in health-food

stores - and the incredibly poor safety record of drugs foisted on the American

public - it should be obvious to advocates of health freedom that this is an

effort by GSK to protect the profits from one of their most lucrative

products. Referring to weight loss claims for dietary supplements as " disease

claims " would effectively eliminate dietary supplements that assist people in

achieving body composition and weight loss goals and provide Big Pharma

(including

GSK) a huge windfall.

 

Clearly, the time to stop this is now. The FDA will eventually have to

render a decision on GSK's petition so we need to make our voices heard while

there is still time. While the drug companies have significant influence in

Washington, there are millions of Americans that use vitamins and supplements

every day, and there is tremendous clout in such numbers.

 

Click Below to Urge the FDA to Put the Interests of Millions of Americans

Ahead of Drug Company Profits

 

(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2 & c=1Sk+cb+hxo+Szy94x7tg+1N1\

46i4FngB)

To read the petition, and more, and for a sample letter, _click here_

(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2 & c=shCE7ZH04gBLiXQiN6Y4DVN1\

46i4

FngB) .

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You are receiving this alert because you are d to the Citizens for

Health list to receive occasional updates of importance to the natural health

community. If you wish to be removed from this list, _click here_

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and enter the email address you wish to have removed.Below are my comments:

 

The petition to Classify dietary supplements that make claims of weight

loss

benefits as a disease claim is in complete violation of the Dietary

Supplement

Health Education Act. The clams are based on medical and scientific evidence

in

the literature. It is not the function of FDA to place impediments to

competition

between prescription drugs and dietary supplements. Petitioners are actually

asking FDA to serve these economic interests. The price of weight loss

supplements will be appreciably increased despite a widespread increase in

obesity, which is a lifestyle problem, but not a disease.

The excellent record of safety of dietary supplements has been repeatedly

proven

by the Annual Reports of the American Association of Poison Control Centers,

 

www.aapcc.org

Wheras the history of prescription drugs for weight loss includes Fen-Fen

that had

to be removed from the market. There is an appreciable difference between

the

potential dangers of these products

arnold

 

 

 

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