Fw: July 2004 update from the Alliance for Natural Health

[Guest guest]

Hi

 

For anyone interested in the progress of the Codex supplements

campaign run by the Alliance for Natural Health, I thought I'd pass this on.

 

 

(Just scroll down to " July 2004 Update " if your not in London)

 

Liz

 

 

 

 

Dear Liz,

 

STOP PRESS: LONDONERS WHO DO THEIR SHOPPING AT FRESH & WILD STORES ON 15

JULY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ANH CAMPAIGN!

 

ANH is calling for as many of its supporters as possible to visit one of

<http://www.freshandwild.com> Fresh and Wild's six

<http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/freshandwild/index.html> London

stores on 15 July. On this first of Fresh & Wild's " 5% Days " , 5% of the

day's turnover will be donated to the ANH to assist with the funding of its

legal action. Fresh & Wild stores are located in Camden Town, the City,

Clapham Junction, Notting Hill, Soho and Stoke Newington. ANH personnel will

be present in each store with flyers and other campaign material.

 

For more information, see full

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news & ID=88> Press

Release.

 

We still need some volunteers who would be willing to help on the day. If

you are able to help, please contact Isobel Bradley on 01727 840593, or

telephone the ANH main number on 01252 371 275 or email

<info info.

 

Thanks, in anticipation.

 

JULY 2004 UPDATE

 

We have been working extensively around Europe to build the campaign.

Inevitably, given our UK base, it is all too easy to focus on the country

that you are resident in. In order to achieve our goal of protecting health

freedom in Europe and beyond, it is of paramount importance that we pull

together those interests that are deeply concerned across the various member

states of Europe, as well as beyond.

 

There is growing evidence that the EU directives are likely to be the main

template for global harmonisation, that will be translated into Codex

guidelines, and then transposed back into regional or national legislatures.

This is why more and more people outside Europe, especially in countries

like the USA, New Zealand and South Africa are so concerned about Codex and

the EU Directives.

 

 

European focal points

 

A huge amount of work to build the ANH campaign has been focused in Ireland,

Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, France and Germany,

Consumers and companies in these countries have become increasingly aware

that the harmonised future that will be offered by the Food Supplements

Directive will bring with it a whole host of problems.

 

The Directive has been developed on the premise of facilitating trade

between member states, yet it goes so much further. It effectively bans a

large array of products that have been safely on many European markets for

many years. The ban is not based on any evidence that products are unsafe,

it arises simply if a manufacturer wishes to use a raw ingredient that is

not on the very limited 'positive list' and has not been approved following

submission of a technical dossier.

 

The problem here is that very few technical dossiers are being submitted.

The companies that really want to go to market with food-form nutrients that

require dossiers to remain on the market just don't have the resources to

complete the dossiers. It appears that companies who could afford dossiers

are not particularly interested in cooperating to produce dossiers. And who

loses out? Consumers more than any other party.

 

 

The ANH legal challenge

 

This Directive is due to come into effect, banning all vitamins and minerals

that are not on a restrictive 'positive list' by 1 August 2005. We were

successful in the first stage of our legal challenge on 30 January 2004, and

are now close to finalising the written observations for the next phase of

the action, in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

 

This Directive is the first of several directives affecting natural

healthcare and it is in our view imperative that the existing structure of

the directive is changed, as it will otherwise very seriously impact on our

ability to get the best and most effective forms of food supplements. It is

critical that the right precedent is set for the other directives - and this

is why so much effort and resources, made available by your contributions,

has made challenging the directive a necessity.

 

We are still fundraising to cover costs of the legal action, so further

donations are urgently required. We hope that you might be able to donate

regularly to facilitate our work.

 

Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations

 

Another key aspect of our recent work has been on the the EU's proposed

Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation. This is a regulation, so comes into

effect as soon as it is approved by the European Parliament. Fortunately so

many problems were identified with this proposed Regulation - which

effectively sets out to control what can be said about foods and food

supplements - that it was forced back to the drawing board after the

Parliament was forced to enact Article 165 of the Parliament's rules of

procedure which can be used when too many amendments have been tabled or

where there is a dispute between groups that cannot be resolved.

 

Mr Basil Mathioudakis, representing the EU Commission at the November 2003

meeting of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary

Uses (CCNFSDU) in Bonn stated that " food and the prevention of diseases do

not go together " and that " health claims for vitamin and mineral supplements

should be prohibited " .[1] This type of thinking, which is in diametric

opposition to a large body of scientific research on relationships between

key diseases and diet, is deeply embedded in policy within the European

Commission and many member state 'competent authorities'. It appears

repeatedly in statements to the effect that " the current diet meets all

nutritional requirements " .

 

This may be true with respect to achieving specific (and often arbitrary)

guidelines for macronutrients, certain micronutrients and fibre, but there

is evidence from government surveys (e.g. the UK National Diet and Nutrition

Survey[2]) that even the RDAs for certain key micronutrients are not being

achieved. Further, the continuing and dramatic escalation of degenerative

diseases suggests strongly that the majority of the population, particularly

in northern European countries, is in fact not achieving anything like the

optimum balance or levels of nutrients.

 

The proposed Regulation provides key obstacles to health promotion and it is

critical that ANH inputs to improve or change the proposed regulation. We

highlight here the

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news & ID=85> recent

prosecutions of the UK supermarkets Tesco and Asda following their campaigns

to promote fruit and vegetable consumption on the basis that it can reduce

the risk of diseases such as heart disease or cancer. Such a campaign is

directly in line with stated DoH nutrition policy yet the implication that a

particular product, namely fruits or vegetables sourced from a particular

retailer, could give rise to reduced risk of disease has been deemed an

illegal medicinal claim.

 

Codex Alimentarius

 

We are continuing to develop strategy and forge linkages in order to

positively influence proceedings at

<http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/index_en.jsp> Codex.

 

There is a real possibility that at the forthcoming meeting of the Codex

Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses in Bonn between 1

and 5 November, guidelines on vitamin and minerals will be finalised. If

this is achieved in the manner anticipated by the majority of countries that

are supporting the status quo, this could be disastrous for health freedom

in the long-term.

 

The <http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news & ID=46>

South African delegation has to-date provided the most enlightened

viewpoints and it is of paramount importance that as many countries are

possible are brought into line with this position.

 

 

UK Department of Health Consultation

 

We have just submitted a response to a consultation offered by the UK

Department of Health. To read both the Department of Health consultation

document and the ANH response, please see the latest 'Key Downloads' section

of the <http://www.alliance-natural-health.org> ANH homepage.

 

 

Continuing need for donations

 

Despite some more financial support from companies, consumers and

practitioners have provided the majority of funds that have allowed the ANH

to lead the way in Europe in fighting for health freedom.

 

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=donate.default>

Please donate whatever you are able, preferably on a regular monthly basis,

so that we are able to continue are work which aims to protect the future of

natural healthcare for future generations.

 

Please try and tell as many people as you know about the ANH campaign.Please

encourage them to sign up asmembers orpartners on the

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org> website.

 

Thank you again for all your help so far!

 

Sincerely

 

Dr Robert Verkerk

Executive Director

Alliance for Natural Health

Email: <info

info

 

 

 

 

_____

 

[1]A report on the Codex discussions regarding the Proposed Draft Guidelines

for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements; Twenty-fifth Session. Bruckenforum,

Bonn, Germany, 3-7 November 2003; prepared by National Health Federation

delegate, Paul Anthony Taylor

(www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news & ID=46).

 

[2] National Diet & Nutrition Survey: Adults aged 19 to 64, Volume 3, 2003.

The Stationary Office, HMSO, London

(www.foodstandards.gov.uk/science/101717/ndnsdocuments/ndnsv303).

 

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org>

 

To , please go to

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=unsub>

www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=unsub

 

<http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/images/logo.gif>

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

For anyone living in Europe, please take note!

love

Lisa

 

- Alliance for Natural Health

lisabelcher

Thursday, July 08, 2004 12:15 AM

July 2004 update from the Alliance for Natural Health

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Lisa,

 

STOP PRESS: LONDONERS WHO DO THEIR SHOPPING AT FRESH & WILD STORES ON 15 JULY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ANH CAMPAIGN!ANH is calling for as many of its supporters as possible to visit one of Fresh and Wild’s six London stores on 15 July. On this first of Fresh & Wild’s “5% Days”, 5% of the day’s turnover will be donated to the ANH to assist with the funding of its legal action. Fresh & Wild stores are located in Camden Town, the City, Clapham Junction, Notting Hill, Soho and Stoke Newington. ANH personnel will be present in each store with flyers and other campaign material. For more information, see full Press Release.We still need some volunteers who would be willing to help on the day. If you are able to help, please contact Isobel Bradley on 01727 840593, or telephone the ANH main number on 01252 371 275 or email info.Thanks, in anticipation.

JULY 2004 UPDATE

We have been working extensively around Europe to build the campaign. Inevitably, given our UK base, it is all too easy to focus on the country that you are resident in. In order to achieve our goal of protecting health freedom in Europe and beyond, it is of paramount importance that we pull together those interests that are deeply concerned across the various member states of Europe, as well as beyond.

There is growing evidence that the EU directives are likely to be the main template for global harmonisation, that will be translated into Codex guidelines, and then transposed back into regional or national legislatures. This is why more and more people outside Europe, especially in countries like the USA, New Zealand and South Africa are so concerned about Codex and the EU Directives.

European focal points

A huge amount of work to build the ANH campaign has been focused in Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, France and Germany, Consumers and companies in these countries have become increasingly aware that the harmonised future that will be offered by the Food Supplements Directive will bring with it a whole host of problems.

The Directive has been developed on the premise of facilitating trade between member states, yet it goes so much further. It effectively bans a large array of products that have been safely on many European markets for many years. The ban is not based on any evidence that products are unsafe, it arises simply if a manufacturer wishes to use a raw ingredient that is not on the very limited ‘positive list’ and has not been approved following submission of a technical dossier.

The problem here is that very few technical dossiers are being submitted. The companies that really want to go to market with food-form nutrients that require dossiers to remain on the market just don’t have the resources to complete the dossiers. It appears that companies who could afford dossiers are not particularly interested in cooperating to produce dossiers. And who loses out? Consumers more than any other party.

The ANH legal challenge

This Directive is due to come into effect, banning all vitamins and minerals that are not on a restrictive ‘positive list’ by 1 August 2005. We were successful in the first stage of our legal challenge on 30 January 2004, and are now close to finalising the written observations for the next phase of the action, in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

This Directive is the first of several directives affecting natural healthcare and it is in our view imperative that the existing structure of the directive is changed, as it will otherwise very seriously impact on our ability to get the best and most effective forms of food supplements. It is critical that the right precedent is set for the other directives – and this is why so much effort and resources, made available by your contributions, has made challenging the directive a necessity.

We are still fundraising to cover costs of the legal action, so further donations are urgently required. We hope that you might be able to donate regularly to facilitate our work.

Nutrition and Health Claims Regulations

 

Another key aspect of our recent work has been on the the EU’s proposed Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation. This is a regulation, so comes into effect as soon as it is approved by the European Parliament. Fortunately so many problems were identified with this proposed Regulation – which effectively sets out to control what can be said about foods and food supplements – that it was forced back to the drawing board after the Parliament was forced to enact Article 165 of the Parliament’s rules of procedure which can be used when too many amendments have been tabled or where there is a dispute between groups that cannot be resolved.

 

Mr Basil Mathioudakis, representing the EU Commission at the November 2003 meeting of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) in Bonn stated that “food and the prevention of diseases do not go together” and that “health claims for vitamin and mineral supplements should be prohibited”.[1] This type of thinking, which is in diametric opposition to a large body of scientific research on relationships between key diseases and diet, is deeply embedded in policy within the European Commission and many member state ‘competent authorities’. It appears repeatedly in statements to the effect that “the current diet meets all nutritional requirements”.

 

This may be true with respect to achieving specific (and often arbitrary) guidelines for macronutrients, certain micronutrients and fibre, but there is evidence from government surveys (e.g. the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey[2]) that even the RDAs for certain key micronutrients are not being achieved. Further, the continuing and dramatic escalation of degenerative diseases suggests strongly that the majority of the population, particularly in northern European countries, is in fact not achieving anything like the optimum balance or levels of nutrients.

 

The proposed Regulation provides key obstacles to health promotion and it is critical that ANH inputs to improve or change the proposed regulation. We highlight here the recent prosecutions of the UK supermarkets Tesco and Asda following their campaigns to promote fruit and vegetable consumption on the basis that it can reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease or cancer. Such a campaign is directly in line with stated DoH nutrition policy yet the implication that a particular product, namely fruits or vegetables sourced from a particular retailer, could give rise to reduced risk of disease has been deemed an illegal medicinal claim.

 

 

Codex Alimentarius

 

We are continuing to develop strategy and forge linkages in order to positively influence proceedings at Codex.

 

There is a real possibility that at the forthcoming meeting of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses in Bonn between 1 and 5 November, guidelines on vitamin and minerals will be finalised. If this is achieved in the manner anticipated by the majority of countries that are supporting the status quo, this could be disastrous for health freedom in the long-term.

 

The South African delegation has to-date provided the most enlightened viewpoints and it is of paramount importance that as many countries are possible are brought into line with this position.

 

 

UK Department of Health Consultation

 

We have just submitted a response to a consultation offered by the UK Department of Health. To read both the Department of Health consultation document and the ANH response, please see the latest ‘Key Downloads’ section of the ANH homepage.

 

 

Continuing need for donations

 

Despite some more financial support from companies, consumers and practitioners have provided the majority of funds that have allowed the ANH to lead the way in Europe in fighting for health freedom.

 

Please donate whatever you are able, preferably on a regular monthly basis, so that we are able to continue are work which aims to protect the future of natural healthcare for future generations.

 

Please try and tell as many people as you know about the ANH campaign.Please encourage them to sign up asmembers orpartners on the website.

Thank you again for all your help so far!

 

Sincerely

 

Dr Robert VerkerkExecutive DirectorAlliance for Natural HealthEmail: info

 

 

 

 

[1]A report on the Codex discussions regarding the Proposed Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements; Twenty-fifth Session. Bruckenforum, Bonn, Germany, 3-7 November 2003; prepared by National Health Federation delegate, Paul Anthony Taylor (www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news & ID=46).

 

 

[2] National Diet & Nutrition Survey: Adults aged 19 to 64, Volume 3, 2003. The Stationary Office, HMSO, London (www.foodstandards.gov.uk/science/101717/ndnsdocuments/ndnsv303).

 

To , please go to www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=unsub

[Guest guest]

Hi Liz

 

Can I have permission to post this on another (UK based) list? And probably

one in Australia as well.

 

> For anyone interested in the progress of the Codex supplements

> campaign run by the Alliance for Natural Health, I thought I'd

> pass this on.

 

Vicki

[Guest guest]

, " Vicki Younger " <vicki@r...>

wrote:

> Hi Liz

>

> Can I have permission to post this on another (UK based) list? And

probably

> one in Australia as well.

>

> > For anyone interested in the progress of the Codex

supplements

> > campaign run by the Alliance for Natural Health, I thought I'd

> > pass this on.

>

> Vicki

Hi Vicki

Yes! Please do, it needs as much support as possible. Thank you

Love

Liz