Alliance for Natural Health (UK) New Year Update

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Alliance for Natural Health (UK) New Year Update

Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:35:46 -0000

 

 

 

 

 

ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH

 

NEW YEAR UPDATE

 

The executives, staff and volunteers of the ANH would like to extend

our best wishes in the New Year to each of our friends and supporters.

 

In this eBlast we will focus on the key challenges to health freedom

addressed by the ANH campaign in 2005, along with our campaign

responses. We also want to take a few moments to look forward at where

we are headed in 2006. Finally, in an effort to reinforce our

resources and increase our effectiveness in accomplishing our

objectives this year, we have included a `Call to Action' at the end

of this communication with an outline of the help that we will need

from you, our supporters.

 

2005 Highlights

 

As you know, 2005 was a very significant year for health freedom and

particularly in Europe where the ramifications continue to be felt and

defined worldwide. The European legislative framework is fast

becoming the most draconian in the world, also forming the template

for international Codex Alimentarius guidelines on food and dietary

supplements; it should remain one of the most important focuses for

health freedom work internationally. The main highlights are as follows:

 

12th January. The Nutrient Risk Assessment report was issued by the

German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), demonstrating that

if existing methods of risk assessment are used, once the Food

Supplements Directive requirements for establishing maximum levels

(under Article 5) are taken into account, extremely low maximum

permitted levels will result. This system would effectively lock out

all therapeutic dosages of vitamins and minerals, and could readily be

used in the international Codex guidelines, therefore having

international as well as regional (European Union) impact. ANH was

the first to communicate this problem worldwide.

 

25th January. The Oral hearing of the legal challenge to the Food

Supplements Directive by the Alliance for Natural Health and Nutrilink

Ltd, in conjunction with the Health Food Manufacturers Association UK

(HFMA) and the National Association of Health Stores UK (NAHS) at the

European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Advocate General Geelhoed

referred to the positive list application process as " transparent as a

black box " .

 

13-14th March. Natural Trade Show, Brighton, UK. Keynote ANH speakers

providing oral presentations to hundreds of companies, practitioners

and consumers.

 

5th April. The Opinion on the legal challenge released by Advocate

General Geelhoed on 5 April, making the recommendation, on the basis

of the ANH's and co-claimants' legal challenge, that the Directive

should be invalidated by the European Court of Justice.

 

17-18th April. Natural Products Expo, London. Oral presentations to a

large number companies, practitioners and consumers.

 

21st-23rd April. Health freedom workshop on Codex Alimentarius

guidelines affecting natural products, convened in Washington by the

American Association for Health Freedom, with US and European health

freedom organisations, initiating the development of new global

coalition to be launched in 2006.

 

24-28th May. The Institute for Functional Medicine 12th International

Symposium in Palm Springs, CA. " The Immune System under Siege:

Clinical Approaches to Immunological Imbalances in the 21st Century. "

Presentation on key health freedom issues made by Dr Robert Verkerk.

Scientists/doctors petition on risk assessment launched.

 

27th June. HAN Foundation (Netherlands) project commissioned, by the

ANH to evaluate approaches to risk and benefit assessment of nutrients

within the EU regulatory framework and propose scientifically and

legally rational ways forward. Findings to be released in or shortly

after Spring 2006.

 

4th July. Codex guidelines on vitamins and minerals finalised in Rome,

although methods of determining upper safe levels and nutrient

reference values still undecided.

 

12th July. Ruling of the European Court of Justice in relation to ANH

legal challenge on Food Supplements Directive which, while it did not

invalidate the Directive, effectively narrowed its scope and

significantly clarified key aspects of it, making it considerably

simpler for innovators to access the positive list. The ANH

demonstrates the `silver lining' in the judgment, against negative

reports in the media and by trade associations.

 

18-19th September. Natural Trade Show, Harrogate, UK. Oral

presentations to companies, practitioners and consumers. New

Information Sheets released.

 

10th October. ANH submission of Paul Lasok QC's interpretation of the

ECJ Ruling to Patricia Hewitt, UK Secretary of State.

 

29-30th October. Your Health Show in Dublin, hosted by the Irish

Association of Health Stores. Presentations by Meleni Aldridge and Dr

Robert Verkerk.

 

4th November. ANH Avian Flu Expert Committee formed. This Committee of

expert scientists and doctors is assembling data on the limitations

associated with conventional medical approaches to treatment in a

pandemic, as well as assembling the evidence-base for use of natural

products for mitigation of effects of H5N1.

 

17th November. CancerACTIVE Cancer Prevention conference, London.

Presentations by Dr Robert Verkerk, ANH Executive & Scientific and Dr Damien Downing, ANH Medical Director.

 

21st-25th November. Codex Alimentarius committee meeting (Codex

Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses), Bonn,

Germany. Dr Robert Verkerk attends scientific advisor to the National

Health Federation delegation. See press release and full report by

Paul Taylor.

 

If you would like summaries of the key health freedom issues, listen

to a 17 minute online presentation by Dr Robert Verkerk (via fast

internet connections only). This is also an ideal way to introduce

others to the campaign, so please forward the link as far and wide as

you can.

 

2006 – Key Strategic Areas

 

In 2006 the ANH will be focusing on 5 main areas:

 

Global regulatory guidelines: Codex Alimentarius

Addressing via inputs to Electronic Working Groups through Dr Robert

verkerk's role as scientific advisor to the National Health Federation

(INGO status at Codex) and expanded communications programmes

 

National/regional legislation: European Union, US, other

We will continue to look at optimum pathways through the current

legislative threats. Attempt to positively shape legislation under

development and aim to undertake strategic legal challenge to EU

pharmaceutical law to prevent medicalisation of foods, functional

foods and food/dietary supplements

 

Scientific Projects

We will be expanding our collaboration with scientific institutes and

independent scientists and continuing to challenge current risk

assessment models. Follow through on HAN Foundation project findings

 

Communications and Public Awareness

We will be expanding our communications and public awareness campaigns

and bringing on additional resources and experts to facilitate these

 

Strategic Alliance Building

Expanding our partnerships with natural health, organic and

environmental groups and associations

 

During the course of the year we will be providing additional

information concerning individual projects within these areas and how

they can significantly influence legislation, regulators, the media,

the natural products trade, health providers and consumers.

 

Critical to this work is the development of much stronger

international strategic alliances between health freedom

organisations, as well as those with shared interests, including

environmental and organic food groups. For example, we are presently

building a close linkage with three US-based organisations, the

American Association for Health Freedom, the National Health

Federation, the World Institute of Natural Health Sciences and the

Organic Consumers Association.

 

The professionalism of the health freedom movement will be further

advanced by bringing together some of the best minds in relevant

fields of science and law. This is crucial to getting results in our

shared vision and campaigns. There is no getting away from the fact

that the forces working to legislate and reduce the role of natural

products in healthcare are huge: we are amidst a real David and

Goliath battle. This interface of science and law has been the

cornerstone of all of ANH's work since its inception in 2002, and it

continues to play centre-stage in our campaign.

 

ANH on the move

 

29th January – 12th February. Rob Verkerk and Meleni Aldridge are

travelling to the US for a series of meetings and conferences with key

individuals, groups and companies in order to outline our 2006 goals

and establish stronger strategic partnerships. We will be covering 12

cities over 6 States. (More on this in the February eBlast.)

 

A call to ACTION from you, our Supporters DONATE NOW

 

As you know, the ANH is a non-profit corporation. We operate entirely

on donations. Without you and your continued financial support well,

the bottom line is - we would cease to function.

 

In light of the current legislative threats and the onslaught of

additional legislation and guidelines on the horizon, this battle is

going to be a long one. We need to operate effectively throughout the

duration and continue to be heard and have our presence and influence

felt.

 

2006 will be a big year for ANH expansion onto the international

arena, with its roots in the EU. To make this work possible we also

need to step up many of our activities, empower and involve more

people at the front lines of the campaign and so be able to deploy and

utilise more resources. As you know we are also in a concerted drive

to raise funds for a new legal challenge against European

pharmaceutical law which currently has the power to arbitrarily bring

any food or dietary supplement sold in the EU under its remit.

 

Please help in any way you can.

 

We give our sincere thanks to those of you who continue to donate on a

regular basis and would ask those of you that don't as yet, to please

consider making a monthly contribution to us, of whatever amount you

can afford. Any support that you can give us makes a difference.

 

Please also forward this eBlast on to friends and contacts that are

concerned about continuing health freedom and who might be interested

in contributing to our work.

 

As always, your comments are always appreciated and noted and we'd be

interested in any feedback or suggestions.

 

In health,

 

Meleni Aldridge

 

Meleni Aldridge

Operations & Communications Manager

ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH

The Atrium, Curtis Road

Dorking, Surrey RH4 1XA

tel +44 (0)1252 371275

dir +44 (0)1306 646550

fax +44 (0)1306 646552

Mob +44 (0)7771 750230

email mela

web www.alliance-natural-health.org

 

Please note that, as of 5th January, the ANH main office has moved.

Our new address is: The Alliance for Natural Health, The Atrium,

Curtis Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1XA, United Kingdom. The main

telephone number remains the same on +44 (0)1252 371275, with general

email coming in to our Campaign Administrator, Isobel Bradley, at

info.

 

 

 

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