Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
This morning I received an e-mail from my attorney friend, and fellow health activist, Ralph Fucetola, The Vitamin Lawyer, telling me about the victory in Europe against the “European Food Directive”. It was held, by the Court, to be invalid. Here’s what Ralph said:
Bulletin: EU Food Directive Held Invalid – 04/05/05
Details here: http://www.alliance-natural-health.org/index.cfm?action=news&ID=151
EU Advocate General held: “The Food Supplements Directive infringes the principle of proportionality because basic principles of Community law, such as the requirements of legal protection, of legal certainty and of sound administration have not properly been taken into account.”
The European Court is expected to uphold this determination in June, thereby preserving access to Dietary Supplements. The Codex threat (see below) remains real, but this is a great victory that will allow the Health Freedom Movement to go from defense to offense: we want our rights under DSHEA (the 1994 law that allows health claims for vitamins) to be strengthened and we want the rest of the world’s food supplement rules harmonized to our freedoms!
Congratulations to the Alliance and all its supporters!
Ralph Fucetola JD – http://www.vitaminlawyernews.com
What does this all mean? It means we are going to get some breathing room – it doesn’t mean we’ve won the war.
The reality…
Big Pharma pretty much controls health care within the so-called “European Union.” Years ago, they put a plan in place to crush the competitive “supplement”industry – and, for the most part, it’s working. Supplements are being ripped off the shelves everywhere you look, in Europe, and what’s left is increasing in price10 to 20 times over, and has been watered down to almost nothing, in potency.
Australia and New Zealand’s health world is reeling under big Pharma’s murderous intent. And, “murder” is the right word.
North America is Big Pharma’s next target.
But here, it’s going to be different. Here, will be the equivalent of a nuclear holocaust for Big Pharma. This isn’t Germany where citizens let their government tell them what to do. North America is a different world – for here we have the idea that “we the people” run our government – and we do.
But, we in the North American Health Freedom Movement (NAHFM) have to realize that, if we don’t get moving on this problem, we are going to LOSE the first battle in the US, and maybe the second…
And, maybe the third.
Why?
Because, for the most part we’re simply not ready for battle – and the opposition is well funded, and well organized.
Why are we not ready? For several reasons: (1) Most health activists in North America have never had the complicated “Codex” situation satisfactorily explained to them. What they see and hear is all murkiness. (2) A major component of the health freedom movement, the health food stores, have been misled by their own organizations’ legal counsel into believing that “Codex” won’t effect the US – and it definitely will. (3) There are people within the movement who will not work with others. They are more interested in “who needs to be ‘excluded’ from the counter-strategy, than who needs to be ‘included’.”
What’s Next?
A gathering of the forces…
There are many different groups looking hard at what’s commonly called “Codex.” Meetings are being held all over North America to determine the length and breadth of the problem, and to come up with a counter-strategy.
We are heading for a health care “Nuremberg…” And, it’s about time…
Stay tuned…
Tim Bolen – Consumer Advocate