Tell Congress to Oppose the Dietary Supplement Labeling Act

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heartnsoul76
heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
edited June 2014 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

On the Friday before the 4th of July weekend, Sen. Durbin presented this legislation to put strict controls to limit or curtail the availability of vitamins and supplements, giving the FDA carte blanche about what will be available, how much you can take and how you can get it - preferably with a prescription.

There is a group called the Alliance for Natural Health that has been on top of these attempts by Congress and the FDA to halt our free access to supplements.  Here are parts of a letter from Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez explaining the problem further:

"I am writing to alert you of two assaults against nutritional supplements against which we all need to mobilize.  Over the years I have witnessed many serious threats to supplements proposed by members of Congress and the FDA, always presented in the guise of “consumer protection.”  Invariably the proposed legislation or regulations have been onerous, repressive, and apparently intended to eliminate or seriously curtail the availability of most nutritional products, forcing the US into a European style situation where nutritionals are either forbidden (as in Norway) or become prescription items, and as a result, to the glee of pharmaceutical companies, their drugs become the primary option.  In the past, we here in the US have been able to mobilize to stop such intrusions, such as the ill-conceived McCain bill of a year ago.  But once again, the anti-nutrition forces have organized and mobilized, in ways I have not previously seen."

It's a never-ending battle to try to maintain our independence from the pharmaceuticals and the FDA by trying to maintain our health on our own.  Please go to this site for more information and a form to write your senators and congressmen:  http://www.anh-usa.org/

Does this worry anybody besides me?  The last thing we need is for the FDA to make it difficult to get our supplements! And they WILL make it difficult - there's so much to be gained by doing so.  I know I don't want to have to get a prescription for Vitamin C! 

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Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    I,m sorry you guys are facing this :((

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  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited July 2011

    Is anyone else tired of the government dictating everything.  I found out today through my breast specialist that a lot of chemo doctors have left town & now you can only see nurse practitioners for checkups.  WTH!!!!Yell So does that mean my copay is cheaper too!!

    Off my soapbox now! NJ 

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited July 2011

    The bill introduced by Sen. Durbin is "S.1310:  The Dietary Supplement Labeling Act of 2011." 

    In case anyone would like to see what the bill actually says, this link will take you to a summary page and other information about the bill on the Library of Congress website:  http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d112:9:./temp/~bssiA5w::

    ... and, here's a link to the text of the bill, in its current form: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.1310:

    I'll admit that it baffles me why consumers would object to knowing what's really in the supplements they take.  But, I don't wish to debate the issue here, since my position would be in conflict with the O.P.  I just thought some people might want to see what's in the bill before asking their legislators to oppose it.

    otter 

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  • Fearless_One
    Fearless_One Member Posts: 3,300
    edited July 2011

    I agree with Otter....   * now I'm outta here, lol!  *.......

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited July 2011

    I am happy to see all of the ingredients in supplements labeled, but I am leery of what the "Secretary" deems a contraindication or potential serious adverse event. I don't want to open the door for needing a doctor's approval, or worse, for the pharmaceutical giants to get involved. If something is deemed to have serious side effects, it could be taken off the market and made prescription only. Label supplements - fine. Someone's opinion of what is bad for me - that is between me and my doctor, IMO.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    Heartnsoul, thanks so much for starting this topic.  I have been get things in my email to which I was paying no attention.  Too busy.

    I do not want the government to control all aspects of my life or what I put in my mouth. 

    A very reliable source for information for checking supplements and prescriptions is www.consumerlab.com .  You do have to pay a fee to read their reports.

    Edited to say I will write my congressman.

    God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited July 2011

    Thanks, everybody, for your comments and links to other useful websites so that we can weigh the pros and cons of the issue. 

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  • Member_of_the_Club
    Member_of_the_Club Member Posts: 3,646
    edited July 2011

    The whole point of truth in labeling is so that consumers can decide.  Of course the manufacturers of supplements oppose this bill I they are often part of Big Pharma, or at least Big Herb).  They want to be to do whatever it takes to mkae money.

    You don't want to know potential adverse reactions?  Do you ever read the labels of the drugs that do have this information?  Supplements can be dangerous, can have adverse effects and can have poor interactions with other drugs.  You don't want to know this information?  Fine, don't read the labels.  But it should be there for folks who do.

    I really resent the way Big Herb starts screaming about how people's supplements are going to be taken away when it is completely not true, getting people riled up.  The only think at risk is a slight portion of their profits.  This is all about the money, their money. 

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited July 2011

    Hi, MOC - yes, it's always about money, I do read the labels, and I'm not saying I don't want to know any adverse effects of a supplement.  I just want to know who is determining this.  Who is?  Do you know? The way this is worded, it gives too much control to the "Secretary" and the Institute of Medicine. Who's watching them?  I don't want someone to be able to use some controversial labeling to prevent me from buying a supplement that I can now purchase without a prescription - you don't think Big Pharma might take advantage of that? Or take something off the market that has been useful for me because they might say it needs to be better controlled? I just think the vagueness of who's calling the shots on this labeling is opening a Pandora's Box.

    As far as poor interactions with other drugs, that is a very important matter that can't be addressed on a label. Yes, list the ingredients - my doctor can determine any interactions. 

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  • Member_of_the_Club
    Member_of_the_Club Member Posts: 3,646
    edited July 2011

    Actually, it can be determined on a label, labels contain this sort of information all the time.  Most doctors don't know the supplements their patients are taking.  Sorry, I can't get on this bus.  No one is trying to take supplements away, just give consumers accurate information.  the guys who make the bucks from these supplements can't be trusted to do this on their own.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    "...the guys who make the bucks from these supplements can't be trusted to do this on their own."

    LMBO - Gee...but the government CAN be trusted? Help me!

    Big government wants nothing more than to get even bigger. And of course, the sponsor, Durbin, happens to be from the ILL state of ILLinois...unfortunately, my state.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    More Crony Capitalism at the FDA

    http://defeatosteosarcoma.org/2011/04/more-crony-capitalism-at-the-fda/

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  • Member_of_the_Club
    Member_of_the_Club Member Posts: 3,646
    edited July 2011

    Oh PLEASE, the government is not going to outlaw B6.  This is exactly the kind of histrionic fearmongering that Big Herb engages in to protect its profits.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2011

    Just what we need...more government workers "policing" us. They can't even keep up with the existing programs. More "policing" means more corruption, fraud and waste.

    lj - Thanks for the link. btw...The Health Ranger e-mail newsletters are great!

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