Consumer's Union

[Guest guest]

Hi Attilio!

 

" Tackling " the CU might be an exercise in futility. Better to undertake an

information campaign to congress and the public stressing the positive

aspects of Traditional Chinese Herbology.

 

At 10:31 PM 4/3/2004, Susan wrote:

>Hi, Attilio, and all,

>Although I agree with you about banning herbs, over-regulation, etc., I

>would like to comment on Consumers' Union. This is an organization that

>began publishing a magazine in the 1930's, I think, testing ptroducts and

>services. It has absoulutely no advertising, and is run on donations and

>subscriptions to the magaxine, Consumer Reports. It is an excellent source

>of more reality-based information about everything

 

><snip>

 

> the consumer's union. Has anyone got any more info on this organisation?

> Or any method of tackling it?

> >

> > Attilio<snip>

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

> Ahhh, now it seems were getting to the root of the problem in the

> US, with the consumer's union. Has anyone got any more info on this

> organisation? Or any method of tackling it?

>

> Attilio

 

In January 94 Consumer Reports wrote articles on Acupuncture and Homeopathy that

were less than flattering. They are not available online but are available by

mail ask for page 51 for the acupuncture article.

 

Now in this issue the 4-1-04 they have a public campaign to write our

legislators to ban herbs going on on their website.

It might really behoove us to make friends with these people. Though we will

have our work cut out for us.

 

Consumer Reports Identifies 'Dirty Dozen' Supplements

04/01/04

 

 

 

Consumer Reports Identifies 'Dirty Dozen' Supplements

Despite government warnings, at least 12 dangerous supplements are still on the

market. Click here to read our investigation about these supplements and what

you can do to avoid them. Click here to tell Congress to pass legislation that

will make it easier to remove dangerous supplements from the shelves.

 

https://secure2.convio.net/cu/site/Advocacy?id=145 & page=UserAction & JServSessionI\

dr010=zl6n8095h1.app7a

 

Urge Stricter FDA Oversight of Dietary Supplements

Write your Legislators now! Strengthen Federal Law to better ensure the safety

of dietary supplements!

As you may know, the FDA recently banned the sale of ephedra, a substance linked

to more than 100 deaths and almost 1,400 adverse events, including heart

attacks, strokes and seizures. While we strongly support the FDA's action to ban

ephedra, dangers remain relating to the use of other dietary supplements.

ACT NOW!

As reported in a January 2004 issue of Consumer Reports (See article), herbal

supplements that are labeled 'ephedra-free' are not necessarily safer than

ephedra. Many include similar central nervous stimulants, such as

synephrine-containing bitter orange (citrus aurantium) that may affect the body

in similar ways.

Despite the recent ephedra ban other ingredients that the FDA has warned could

cause harm to consumers continue to be sold today. These include chaparral,

comfrey, lobelia and yohimbe.

Dietary supplements lack the testing and labeling to warn consumers of product

ingredients that may interact unfavorably with other medicines. In fact,

manufacturers may sell dietary supplements that have never been tested for

safety.

Currently, the FDA has the burden of showing that a supplement presents an

unreasonable risk of harm before it can try to take if off the market. This is

difficult because manufacturers are not required to tell FDA when they have

information that their product has caused harm -- or even death. We believe

that manufacturers should be required to report all adverse events promptly to

the FDA, and that federal governement should not permit dietary supplements that

contain stimulants or " sterioid precursors " be sold without adequate pre-market

safety testing.

Your participation takes two minutes and will make a difference. We urge you to

write to your lawmakers in support of S. 722 and H.R. 3377, legislation that

will give the FDA authority to ensure manufacturers turn over reports of injury

or death caused by their products, and that certain supplements be safety tested

before being put on the market.

Learn more or take action now!

· Your Senators

· Your Representative

http://www.consumersunion.org/

[Guest guest]

" In January 94 Consumer Reports wrote articles on Acupuncture and

Homeopathy that were less than flattering. They are not available online

but are available by mail ask for page 51 for the acupuncture article.

.......... "

 

Although the May 2004 Consumers Report article has some good points, it

does not in its text mention that herbs and formulated supplements are used

not only by the general public, but also prescribed by trained

professionals (herbalists). It does not mention the alleged exemption for

traditional medical use in the FDA's language. In two sidebars, however,

it mentions 2 people in the U.S. whose kidneys failed after using

aristolochic acid products. In one, it mentioned that the patient is suing

her acupuncturist (it did not mention whether the acupuncturist was a

trained herbalist) and the herb company, which claims the herbs were

adulterated with aa. The clear impression from this is that anyone who

uses herbs prescribed by an acupuncturist or other traditional practitioner

or produced by an herbal company is a fool. Given that this magazine is

hugely influential in this country (note the recent frenzy after Verizon

was voted best cell phone service provider), I think it will be very

difficult to overcome this impression without concentrated, focused

responses. This kind of public image is very damaging to the profession.

 

Pat

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

-- " Susan Atlas " <susan.atlas wrote:

 

In recent years, they have taken on a more political role in some of their

articles about medicine, insurance, nursing homes, etc.However, they have no

relation to labor unions or anything like that.

 

It appears the Consumers Union is in cahoots with Stephen Barrett of

Quackbusters fame.

 

 

Chiros were fighting to get insurance payments in 1978 in the USA and also New

Zealand They found themselves up against the consumers union and quackbusters as

well and won in the fight in getting insurance reimbursement.

 

http://www.chiro.org/chiro-list/newsfile/nz-barrett.html

 

A look back into time sometimes reveals that an organization or individuals may

seem to have an special agenda.

The following quoted excerpts from a 1979 New Zealand Government investigation

brings such questions to mind:

Commissioned by the New Zealand Government in 1978, The New Zealand Report

developed into the most comprehensive and detailed independent examination, at

that time, of chiropractic ever undertaken in any country. The focus of the

investigation was to consider whether health and accident benefits should be

made for chiropractic services. When the Report was commissioned, it was

believed it would take a month or two at the most to resolve the issues, but it

took nearly two years, generating over 3600 pages of testimony under Oath from

numerous witnesses and thousands of pages documents submitted from organizations

and private parties from around the world. The investigators also traveled to

Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in their quest for

information. The lengthy report was presented in September 1979, long before the

findings, favorable to chiropractic and manipulation, appeared in the Rand

Study, Meade studies, BMJ, Magna Report, ACHPR report on back pain, and the

subsequent numerous journal research studies.

 

In the United States, the Commission interviewed the American Medical

Association, American Chiropractic Association, Council on Chiropractic

Education, Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research, Blue Cross & Blue

Shield, and various individuals.

 

The New Zealand Report was printed in 1979, by the New Zealand Government

Printer. Most large research libraries either have copies or can obtain copies

for those interested in reading this eye-opening

investigation.

 

Of interest, with regards to Dr. Stephen Barrett is Chapter 21 of the report,

entitled " North American Sources " , which is quoted in it's entirety: (at the

link above)

 

The New Zealand government found them to be biased and unreliable.

 

go to the URL to see how New Zealand saw through them.

 

In the mean time about 2.5 years ago

Quackbusters Stephen Barrett filed a complaint resulting in a lawsuit against

several homeopathic pharmacies in the USA and those charges were also thrown out

and found to be ungrouded in a court of law last year. Unfortunately it did go

to trial but Barrett was found to be unreliable in his charges there too.

 

They have a habit of filing lawsuits against anyone to maske them prove their

product or medicine works. In the homeopathic case the whole system of medicine

went on trial for homeopaths to prove that something so diluted could in fact be

a medicine. Barrett Lost his case!

 

Perhaps we can use this to our advantage somehow.

 

Sunny