A.N.H. News

[Guest guest]

Dear Christine,

 

ANH General E-blast – October 2005

 

The momentum of the re-structuring and bedding in of key projects in

August and September has continued into October making it both a

busy and a productive month. As further work continues on the EU

Food Supplements Directive (FSD) with regard to interpretation of

the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling, this does nothing to

detract from the other major European legislative threat that came

into force on Monday 31st October, namely the Traditional Herbal

Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) – more on this later! But now,

on to an update of ANH progress and events.

 

 

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FSD Update

 

The ANH has submitted its interpretation of the ECJ ruling based on

the Opinion of its lead Counsel, Paul Lasok QC, to the UK Secretary

of State, Patricia Hewitt, and to the EU Directorate-General for

Health and Consumer Protection (Basil Mathioudakis). We await their

responses and hope to be able to report back to you next month on

outcomes.

 

Based on the key gains from the ECJ ruling [silver lining] that the

ANH has maintained since the ruling on 12 July, we have also

submitted our recommended guidelines with regard to the procedure

for gaining admission to the Positive List (specifically to Annex I

and Annex II of the Directive). Dr Robert Verkerk (ANH Executive

and Scientific Director) and Dr Damien Downing (ANH Medical) have also proposed a new classification system for vitamin

and mineral food supplement ingredients, which we believe will

assist interpretation of the ruling particularly in regard to the

exclusion of particular natural sources of vitamins and minerals

from the Directive, as confirmed by the European Court.

 

We aim to publish the above-mentioned letter and appendices on our

website in the near future.

 

 

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'Traditional Herbal Medicines' in the EU

 

THMPD is not a stand alone Directive, but a `sub-Directive' of the

Human Medicines (Pharmaceutical) Products Directive. It is intended

for only those herbal products used to treat minor ailments, which

have a history of safe traditional use. Products eligible for the

THMPD will benefit from a simplified, `fast-track' drugs licensing

regime if it can be proved they have a safety record going back 30

years, including at least 15 years in any EU Member State. This

means that some products will be restricted purely because they are

from non-EU cultures. Particular combinations may also be

disallowed and herbal products containing significant amounts of

vitamins, minerals or other nutrients will be prohibited.

 

Although enforced on Monday, there is a transition period until 2011

for full implementation. Unfortunately current estimates of

licensing costs (which may exceed £40,000 [€58,700 or US$71,000] for

single-herb products) are likely to be prohibitive for many

companies. Licensing costs will inevitably need to be passed on the

consumer, so demand may decline due to their increased cost.

Another major problem is that products will be subjected to

pharmaceutical stability tests and must show 6 months stability

before being approved. Such a regime will not suit multi-herb

tinctures, such as those used for thousands of years in certain

traditional cultures such as Ayurveda.

 

One key strategy for dealing with unfair or disproportionate impacts

of the THMPD is through legal challenge, an avenue that is being

considered at present.

 

 

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ANH on the move

 

11th – 12th October . Rob, Meleni and Lord Duncan McNair (Strategic

Advisory Committee Member) travelled to Brussels to attend the MEP

Awards Ceremony for some vital networking. The ANH was one of few

non-governmental organizations invited. It was a hugely successful

trip and we met and updated some very valuable political contacts.

John Bowis MEP, a previous Minister for Health in the UK, with whom

ANH has worked in the European Parliament, was given the main award

for contributions in the field of health.

 

28-29 October: Rob and David, each for different reasons, were

unable to travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota USA, for the National

Conference for Health Freedom Advocates organized by the National

Health Freedom Coalition to present " The Judicial Opinion on the

Challenge to the EU Food Supplements Directive " . However, with

advances in technology being what they are, all was not lost, and

they managed to deliver their presentations and take questions in

real time over a video link-up! Such technology has opened doors

for future ANH communication on the global stage.

 

29-30 October: Meleni and Rob presented in Dublin, Ireland, at the

Irish Association of Health Stores, `Your Health Show'. We were

given a warm welcome by our Irish supporters and the industry dinner

on the Saturday evening had all the hallmarks of good

Irish `craic'. The show was a success and we have had an offer of

fund raising support for which we are very grateful. Thank you to

all who came to the presentations and asked such informed

questions. Our presentations are available on the website at the

following links: Meleni Aldridge: " EU Restrictions on Natural

Health: The impact on Practitioners and Consumers. " Dr Rob

Verkerk: " Natural Health Wars: Building on the Food Supplements

Case. "

 

 

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Codex Alimentarius

 

Rob has provided critical comments to the risk assessment paper

produced by the Australian working group and a number of other

governments, on behalf of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods

for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) which will meet between 21-25

November in Bonn, Germany. These comments have been submitted to the

National Health Federation which will, as a recognized Codex NGO

(non-governmental organisation) include them as part of its own

submission to the CCNFSDU, to be discussed at Bonn.

 

The ANH is concerned that unless risk assessment procedures

currently being considered by the CCNFSDU and the FAO/WHO nutrient

risk assessment project are changed considerably, unreasonably

low `upper safe levels' and `maximum permitted levels' will be

developed for many nutrients used in food (or dietary) supplements

compliant with Codex guidelines.

 

 

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Bird flu `fever'

 

With news reports from around the world hinting at possible imminent

human to human transmission of a mutated, highly pathogenic variant

of the wild-type avian H5N1 virus, opinions on the threat to humans

or otherwise, appears to be deeply divided. Some are convinced that

the bird flu issue is another `pharma'-sourced manifestation which

poses no real risk to humans and its publicity serves solely to

increase profits of drugs companies and vaccine producers. Others

are more concerned about the actual likelihood of a pandemic, but

are concerned that vaccines and anti-viral drugs are unlikely to

provide much reprieve.

 

We have been monitoring the scientific data on this issue for some

time and are now able to conclude that the risks of a global

pandemic are in our view both real and significant. However, we are

also concerned that vaccine and anti-viral drug strategies are

unlikely to offer the solution currently being promised,

particularly in the earlier stages of a pandemic. We believe that

nutrients (food and supplements) may have an important role to play

in helping to modulate immune systems so that people are better able

to resist viral (and other) infections. We are aware of nutritional

companies that are presently conducting experiments (e.g. on H5N1 in

mice) using specific products which could be used for this purpose.

We are also in the process of establishing an Avian Flu Expert

Committee of key scientists so that we can make public carefully

considered and scientifically proven natural options for reducing

risk from infection.

 

NB: As a small, already overloaded team, we regret that we are

unlikely at this stage to be able to respond to specific public

queries on bird flu at this time. Further information will follow

in our November eblast.

 

 

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We need your support – please help us to help

you! DONATE NOW

 

The ANH exists entirely on donations, the FSD being just the tip of

the iceberg. We still need your full commitment to continue our

campaign. We are currently beginning a concerted drive to raise

funds for a second legal challenge, this time to EU medicinal law

(the HMPD).

 

Please consider making a monthly contribution to us, of whatever

amount you can afford. We are profoundly grateful for any support

that you can give us – and please send this e-blast on to friends

and contacts that might be interested in our work.

 

Your comments are always appreciated and noted and we'd be

interested in any feedback or suggestions.

 

We're very grateful for your support and interest in the ANH

campaign.

 

In health,

 

Meleni

 

Meleni Aldridge

Operations & Communications Manager

Alliance for Natural Health

tel +44 (0)1252 371 275

fax +44 (0)1932 232202

mob +44 (0)7771 750230

email mela

web www.alliance-natural-health.org

 

REMINDER: Please forward widely to those you know who are interested

in natural health!

 

 

 

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