STOP GOV BILL TO CONTROL SUPPLEMENTS

[JustNews]

www.anh-usa.org

"There’s a new bill in Congress.

If it passes, the FDA will have the right to permanently take away any vitamin or natural supplement it chooses. And once it’s gone, your access disappears… forever.

Imagine CoQ10 becoming illegal? Or if you could only take CoQ10 with a doctor’s prescription at 100 times the cost?

You have the right to choose what you put in your own body. And that includes natural medicine and nutritional supplements.

As the philosopher John Stuart Mill said, “Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”

But the bill before Congress intends to lessen, and perhaps take away, your right to have control over your body and mind.

This new “safety” bill would empower the FDA to permanently ban any nutritional supplement it considers “adulterated” or “misbranded.”

On the surface it sounds reasonable, but in practice, it means the FDA can make a list of accepted vitamins and ban all the rest. Europeans already live under such a law. It’s so restrictive; most people in Europe buy their vitamins here in the U.S.

Part of the problem is the way the bill is written. The language is open-ended and subject to broad interpretation.

Even if a vitamin company makes a mistake with their paperwork, or the FDA claims they made a mistake with their paperwork, they can take that product off the market forever. Even if that product has a clean track record.

Also at risk is the dose of a vitamin or nutrient. That means the FDA could say, for example, “Vitamin C is only safe at a dose of 10mg.”

But here’s the deal: If your vitamin C only has 10mg per tablet, you’d have to take an entire bottle to get a one-day supply. That’s another strategy the FDA could use to kill off a vitamin or nutrient.

This bill is dangerous: Both to your health and to your rights as an individual.

I urge you to click HERE and send a message to your Senator.

The Alliance for Natural Health has prepared the letter for you. All you have to do is fill in your name and address and click “send.”

Your voice counts.

Please take a moment to stand up and be counted." Click here:

https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=510

[El Diablo Blanco]

This will actually help consumers save their money from buying shit "magic pill" supplements.  They might learn that they can actually eat lean meats and veggies and feel better, look better and live better than any supplement can ever do.  If they decide they want to be big a strong they can stop wasting their money on NO explode and shit like that, buy some Sust 250 online, some adex and be better off.

[JustNews]

"This Bill Would Repeal Key Sections of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act

Please Contact Your Senators Now to Tell Them Not to Co-sponsor This Exceptionally Bad Bill and Instead Help Us to Defeat It!

The Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA) would repeal key sections of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). It would give the FDA full discretion and power to compile a discreet list of supplements allowed to remain on the market while banning all others.

Everyone knows that the FDA is friendly to drug companies (which pay its bills and provide good revolving door jobs) and hostile to supplement companies. Under this bill, this same Agency could quite arbitrarily ban any supplement it wished or turn it over to drug companies to be developed as a drug and sold for multiples of its price as a supplement.

If McCain’s bill passes, we can look to Europe for a snapshot of what we may be in for: EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, has sharply reduced the list of available supplements and is in process of reducing potencies to ridiculous levels, such as less beta carotene than can be found in half of a large carrot. Europeans already look to the US to obtain their dietary supplements. If this bill passes, where will we obtain ours?

Please take action immediately. Tell your senators NOT to co-sponsor the detrimental legislation and to do everything in their power to defeat it. Then forward this to your friends and family and ask them to do the same!"

[The True Adonis]

Supplements are useless.  Hope this helps.

[JustNews]

This will actually help consumers save their money from buying shit "magic pill" supplements.  They might learn that they can actually eat lean meats and veggies and feel better, look better and live better than any supplement can ever do.  If they decide they want to be big a strong they can stop wasting their money on NO explode and shit like that, buy some Sust 250 online, some adex and be better off.

Not really. It means if you want a vitamin C, potassium or magnesium pill, you will have to go to the doctor to get a prescription for it and pay 10x what you do now.

It means you trust the government and medical doctors (who often do not have a nutritional background) to make your decisions for you.

This is about Freedom of Choice. Why give yours to a bunch of politicians who are only concerned about lining their pockets and controlling the public.

[The True Adonis]

Not really. It means if you want a vitamin C, potassium or magnesium pill, you will have to go to the doctor to get a prescription for it and pay 10x what you do now.

It means you trust the government and medical doctors (who often do not have a nutritional background) to make your decisions for you.

This is about Freedom of Choice. Why give yours to a bunch of politicians who are only concerned about lining their pockets and controlling the public.

Wrong.  That is certainly NOT what the bill means.  You are a moron with poor comprehension skills.  It might help if you actually READ the bill.  I doubt you have the capacity to understand it though.

Stop your fucking fear mongering and crawl into a dark hole with the rest of the ignoramuses who fail at simple reading.

[timfogarty]

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.111s3002

Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010 (Introduced in Senate)

S 3002 IS

111th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3002

To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to more effectively regulate dietary supplements that may pose safety risks unknown to consumers.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 4, 2010

Mr. MCCAIN (for himself and Mr. DORGAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to more effectively regulate dietary supplements that may pose safety risks unknown to consumers.

      Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

      This Act may be cited as the `Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010'.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL FOOD, DRUG, AND COSMETIC ACT.

      (a) Definitions- Section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321) is amended by adding at the end the following:

      `(ss) Dietary Supplement Facility- The term `dietary supplement facility' means any business or operation engaged in manufacturing, packaging, holding, distributing, labeling, or licensing a dietary supplement for consumption in the United States.'.

      (b) Registration of Dietary Supplement Facilities-

            (1) ADULTERATED FOOD- Section 402 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 342) is amended by inserting at the end the following:

      `(j) If it is a dietary supplement that is manufactured, packaged, held, distributed, labeled, or licensed by a dietary supplement facility that is not registered with the Secretary.'.

            (2) REGISTRATION OF FOOD FACILITIES- Section 415 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 350d) is amended--

                  (A) in the section heading, by striking `facilities' and inserting `and dietary supplement facilities'; and

                  (B) in subsection (a)--

                        (i) in paragraph (2)--

                              (I) by striking `An entity' and inserting the following:

                  `(A) FOOD FACILITIES- An entity'; and

                              (II) by adding at the end the following:

                  `(B) DIETARY SUPPLEMENT FACILITIES-

                        `(i) IN GENERAL- A dietary supplement facility (referred to in the section as a `dietary supplement registrant') shall submit a registration under paragraph (1) to the Secretary containing information necessary to notify the Secretary of the name and address of each facility at which, and all trade names under which, the dietary supplement registrant conducts business. At the time of registration, the dietary supplement registrant shall also file with the Secretary a list of all dietary supplements manufactured, packaged, held, distributed, labeled, or licensed by the facility. Such list shall be prepared in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe, and shall be accompanied by a full list of the ingredients contained in each dietary supplement, and a copy of the labeling used by the facility for each dietary supplement.

                        `(ii) UPDATES- Each dietary supplement registrant shall update the registrant's registration annually on or before the anniversary date of the registrant's initial registration. Each dietary supplement registrant shall also update the registrant's registration to include information regarding any new dietary supplement, or reformulation of an existing dietary supplement, on or before the date such dietary supplement is marketed for consumption in the United States.'; and

                        (ii) in paragraph (3), by inserting `or dietary supplement registrant' after `notify the registrant'.

      (c) New Dietary Ingredients- Section 413 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 350b) is amended--

            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

      `(a) In General- A dietary supplement which contains a new dietary ingredient shall be deemed adulterated under section 402(f) unless there is a history of use or other evidence of safety establishing that the dietary ingredient when used under the conditions recommended or suggested in the labeling of the dietary supplement will reasonably be expected to be safe and, at least 75 days before being introduced or delivered for introduction into interstate commerce, the manufacturer or distributor of the dietary ingredient or dietary supplement provides the Secretary with information, including any citation to published articles, which is the basis on which the manufacturer or distributor has concluded that a dietary supplement containing such dietary ingredient will reasonably be expected to be safe. The Secretary shall keep confidential any information provided under this subsection for 90 days following its receipt. After the expiration of such 90 days, the Secretary shall place such information on public display, except matters in the information which are trade secrets or otherwise confidential, commercial information.';

            (2) in subsection (c), by striking `was not marketed in the United States before October 15, 1994 and does not include any dietary ingredient which was marketed in the United States before October 15, 1994' and inserting `is not included on the list of `Accepted Dietary Ingredients', to be prepared, published, and maintained by the Secretary'; and

            (3) by adding at the end the following:

      `(d) Maintaining Substantiation File- Any person submitting information to the Secretary under subsection (a) shall create and maintain a scientifically reasonable substantiation file relating to the claim that the dietary ingredient or dietary supplement will reasonably be expected to be safe. The substantiation file shall be prepared and maintained in such form and manner as the Secretary may prescribe and shall be available for review and inspection by the Secretary upon request.

      `(e) Evidence of Compliance- A dietary supplement facility or retailer shall, prior to manufacturing, packaging, holding, distributing, labeling, or licensing the dietary supplement, obtain adequate written evidence from the preceding responsible entity in the chain of commerce that the product is registered as required by section 415 and that the requirements of subsection (a) have been met. Such facility or retailer shall maintain such evidence of compliance for review and inspection by the Secretary upon request.'.

      (d) Civil Monetary Penalty for Non-Compliance- Section 303 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 333) is amended by adding at the end the following:

      `(h) Civil Monetary Penalty for Non-Compliance- Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any person who manufacturers, packages, holds, distributes, labels, or licenses a dietary supplement in violation of section 301, 402, 413, 415, 501, 502, 505, or 761, may, in addition to other penalties imposed in this section, be fined not more than twice the gross profits or other proceeds derived from the manufacture, packaging, holding, distribution, labeling, or license of such dietary supplement.'.

      (e) Adverse Event Reporting for Dietary Supplements- Section 761 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 379aa-1) is amended--

            (1) in the section heading, by striking `serious adverse' and inserting `adverse';

            (2) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:

            `(4) ADVERSE EVENT REPORT- The term `adverse event report' means a report of non-serious adverse events that is required to be submitted to the Secretary under subsection (b).';

            (3) in subsection (b)(1)--

                  (A) by striking `The manufacturer' and inserting the following:

                  `(A) SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS- The manufacturer'; and

                  (B) by adding at the end the following:

                  `(B) NON-SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS- The manufacturer, packer, holder, distributor, labeler, or licensee of a dietary supplement, whose name appears on the label of a dietary supplement marketed in the United States, shall submit to the Secretary, in such form and manner as the Secretary shall determine, a compilation report of all non-serious adverse events associated with such dietary supplement when used in the United States, accompanied by a copy of the label on or within the retail packaging of such dietary supplement.';

            (4) in subsection (c)(1), by adding at the end: `The responsible person shall annually submit to the Secretary a compilation report of all non-serious adverse events received during the preceding year.';

            (5) in subsection (e)(1), by adding at the end: `The responsible person shall maintain records related to each annually submitted adverse event report for a period of 3 years.'; and

            (6) in subsection (f), by striking `or an adverse event report voluntarily submitted' and inserting `or a non-serious adverse report submitted annually'.

      (f) Recall Authority for Dietary Supplements-

            (1) IN GENERAL- Chapter IV of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 341 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`SEC. 418. RECALL AUTHORITY FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS.

      `(a) Recall Authority-

            `(1) CEASE DISTRIBUTION AND NOTIFICATION ORDER-

                  `(A) IN GENERAL- If the Secretary finds there is a reasonable probability that a dietary supplement or a product marketed or sold as a dietary supplement would cause serious, adverse health consequences or death, or is adulterated or misbranded, the Secretary shall issue a cease distribution and notification order requiring the person named in the order to immediately--

                        `(i) cease distribution of such dietary supplement or a product marketed or sold as a dietary supplement;

                        `(ii) notify distributors, importers, retailers, and consumers of the order; and

                        `(iii) instruct those distributors, importers, retailers, and consumers to cease distributing, importing, selling, and using the dietary supplement.

                  `(B) INFORMAL HEARING- An order described in subparagraph (A) shall provide the person subject to the order with an opportunity for an informal hearing, to be held not later than 10 days after the date of the issuance of the order, on the actions required by the order and on whether the order should be amended to require a recall of the dietary supplement or the product marketed or sold as a dietary supplement. The person subject to the order shall have 5 days to notify the Secretary of the person's intent to challenge the order. If, after providing an opportunity for such a hearing, the Secretary determines that inadequate grounds exist to support the actions required by the order, the Secretary shall vacate the order.

            `(2) RECALL-

                  `(A) IN GENERAL- If, after providing an opportunity for an informal hearing under paragraph (1), the Secretary determines that the order should be amended to include a recall of the dietary supplement or the product marketed or sold as a dietary supplement with respect to which the order was issued, the Secretary shall, except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), amend the order to require a recall. The Secretary shall specify a timetable in which the dietary supplement recall will occur and shall require periodic reports to the Secretary describing the progress of the recall. The Secretary shall have the authority to initiate the action prescribed in this subparagraph regardless of whether or not the person subject to the order elects to exercise the right to challenge the initial order as permitted under paragraph (1).

                  `(B) CONTENT OF AMENDED ORDER- An amended order under subparagraph (A)--

                        `(i) shall not include recall of the dietary supplement or the product marketed or sold as a dietary supplement from individuals; and

                        `(ii) shall provide for notice to individuals, at the expense of retailers and to the satisfaction of the Secretary, subject to the risks associated with the use of such dietary supplement.

                  `(C) NOTIFICATION- In providing the notice required by subparagraph (B)(ii), if a significant number of such individuals cannot be identified, the Secretary shall notify such individuals pursuant to section 705(b).'.


sounds like a good idea to me

[JustNews]

T.A., you have not read the bill. If you want politicians to decide for you what you can put in your body, that's fine. Most of us here don't. This bill is real.

Your "Supplements are useless" comment= the real "moron." Millions (including those who don't bodybuild or do sports whatsoever) want the freedom to build their immunity and try healthier natural alternative solutions other than having to resort only to prescription drug/supplements recommended by a physician (who is influenced primarily by drug companies first and foremost) for their specific health condition.

Anyone who gets angry at the suggestion of a action promoting freedom of choice is afraid to make decisions for himself and his own body. You clearly want to be Pwned--by the Gov. You prefer they decide for you.

Now go put a t-shirt on your dog that says "Please Pass DSSA" and take a walk in the park so you don't have to think for yourself anymore.

[emn1964]

supps are worthless...no science behind any of that shit...just a bunch of scammers...couldn't really give half a shit

[lift 456]

since they banned meth, i've been having a hard time following the craig titus precontest plan

[The True Adonis]

T.A., you have not read the bill. If you want politicians to decide for you what you can put in your body, that's fine. Most of us here don't. This bill is real.

Your "Supplements are useless" comment= the real "moron." Millions (including those who don't bodybuild or do sports whatsoever) want the freedom to build their immunity and try healthier natural alternative solutions other than having to resort only to prescription drug/supplements recommended by a physician (who is influenced primarily by drug companies first and foremost) for their specific health condition.

Anyone who gets angry at the suggestion of a action promoting freedom of choice is afraid to make decisions for himself and his own body. You clearly want to be Pwned--by the Gov. You prefer they decide for you.

Now go put a t-shirt on your dog that says "Please Pass DSSA" and take a walk in the park so you don't have to think for yourself anymore.

I personally think every drug or substance should be legalized and that anyone should be allowed to eat, inject, imbibe whatever they want in the privacy of their own home.  Hope this helps.

[just_a_pilgrim]

Has to be said, Adonis wins in this thread with every post. He also does it with a fifth of the writing.

[wicknilly]

They might learn that they can actually eat lean meats and veggies and feel better, look better and live better than any supplement can ever do. 

come on bro, you and i both know as an athlete and/or bodybuilder it's virtually impossible to get everything we need from food alone.  if speaking of the average person, i agree w/ you

[JustNews]

I personally think every drug or substance should be legalized and that anyone should be allowed to eat, inject, imbibe whatever they want in the privacy of their own home.  Hope this helps.

Then why support a bill that states the gov. will have the power to "instruct distributors, importers, retailers, and consumers to cease distributing, importing, selling, and using the dietary supplement."? Hope that helps.

[emn1964]

Then why support a bill that states the gov. will have the power to "instruct distributors, importers, retailers, and consumers to cease distributing, importing, selling, and using the dietary supplement."? Hope that helps.

if its not effective then why not give the government that power?  same thing as taking a defective product off the market.

[JustNews]

Has to be said, Adonis wins in this thread with every post. He also does it with a fifth of the writing.

Wrong. No one "wins" who is owned by a bill (that takes a minute to read and fully comprehend) that gives the government control of your health.

[emn1964]

Wrong. No one "wins" who is owned by a bill (that takes a minute to read and fully comprehend) that gives the government control of your health.

since no supplement has been scientifically proven to affect your health how can the bill impact anyone

[physicsgeek]

supps are worthless...no science behind any of that shit...just a bunch of scammers...couldn't really give half a shit

You should read a book on ergogenics. This one is an interesting read: The Ergogenics edge: pushing the limits of sports performance (By Melvin H. Williams). There is definitely science behind some supplements. Not muscletech research lab science though, lol. I do not buy any of that crap.

[JustNews]

if its not effective then why not give the government that power?  same thing as taking a defective product off the market.

You trust the government? They are not medically qualified. They won't need a scientist or a recommendation from anyone to shut down everything.  

I have a friend with cancer and one with diabetes. Both have improved and managed their conditions better with natural herbal supplements, enzymes and amino acids recommended by a naturopath than when they took the prescribed western medical drugs alone (which were making their conditions worse). The natural methods cost pennies to them in comparison to seeing a doctor who diagnoses and prescribes drugs only.

This bill would make it impossible and costly to try to improve any health condition on your own without government approval of any natural means first. The people who will make the decisions for you do not care about your health. They care about the money going into their pocket only.

[timfogarty]

This bill would make it impossible and costly to try to improve any health condition on your own without government approval of any natural means first. The people who will make the decisions for you do not care about your health. They care about the money going into their pocket only.

as oppose to supplement companies who do not care about your health, but only about how much of your money they can get into your pocket?

all this bill will do is help regulate the most egregious snake oil supplements.

did you know that most supplements sold at US health food stores can't be sold in Mexico, where steroids are over the counter, because the Mexican government requires that manufacturers be able to prove their products do what they claim they do?

[Van_Bilderass]

since no supplement has been scientifically proven to affect your health how can the bill impact anyone

There are many nutritional supplements which are also Rx drugs so the "science" seems to indicate they do affect health. Of course, there are also many drugs which do not work like claimed so that in itself isn't proof they are 100% proven to work.

[kiwiol]

as oppose to supplement companies who do not care about your health, but only about how much of your money they can get into your pocket?

That's a valid point, but hardly a justification to give the government more power and the authority to ban supplements or restrict their consumption in some way. The government should not be telling people what they can or cannot consume anyway.

If a product or a supplement is total garbage, news will spread one way or another and it's consumption will go down more and more, until it's no longer produced. That's the way the free market operates, or ought to. Getting the government to step in is hardly the way to go.

[Mr Nobody]

Falcon says supplements are useless so fuck it.

[Mr. Magoo]

That's a valid point, but hardly a justification to give the government more power and the authority to ban supplements or restrict their consumption in some way. The government should not be telling people what they can or cannot consume anyway.

If a product or a supplement is total garbage, news will spread one way or another and it's consumption will go down more and more, until it's no longer produced. That's the way the free market operates, or ought to. Getting the government to step in is hardly the way to go.

Not really, new companies pop up all the time and are gone before any news outlet can cover its ineffectiveness. We had to study this in my nutrition class last semester. Gov regulates water, air, food labeling, etc, so whynot supplements? Im not a fan of big government but I dont see the argument that putting our faith in companies instead of government in regard to quality supplements. I think people fear that supplements will no longer exist if Gov steps in, which i dont think will happen, theres too much money there to do away with it. The idea that word of mouth will cause people to no longer buy supps from Company A because Company A makes a shitty product only works if Company A is still around at the time people figure out they wasted their money. Truth is, Americans are stupid when it comes to nutrition and supplements and maybe it's a step forward to cut out the shitty companies that don't work. Who knows.

[timfogarty]

That's the way the free market operates, or ought to. Getting the government to step in is hardly the way to go.

the problem is that we don't have a free market.  big businesses, and the supplement industry is certainly a big business, gets to spend millions of dollars to get their way, both by political contributions and by mass marketing.  look at bodybuilding mags:  300 pages on how great the latest supplement is.  where are the ads or articles showing how the products are snake oil?

and of course there is astro-turfing, fake grass roots organizations made to look like averaged concerned citizens, really just paid industry spokesmen.   sound familiar 10 post newbie JustNews ?