Question for Devin et al?

[Guest guest]

I just read an inflammitory post on GFCF that stated we will soon lose

access to supplements without prescriptions. It seems if this were

true every supplement company from A to Z would be advertising all over

our boards to get us up in arms! Is there any truth to this?

Thanks, Maddie

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/2/01 5:23:39 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

lorned@... writes:

> I'd love to see any references that poster may have had. It seems to me

> that as there is more and more talk about herbal supplements interferring

> with doctors' prescriptions that eventually the government may change their

> current policy.

>

> Avril

I wonder if the fact that many doctors now are enjoying the fruits of

endorsing and selling supplements right in and from their offices might act

to discourage efforts to eliminate OTC products like these. Sort of like,

when you need a lab test, how convenient that the doc just happens to be a

partial owner in the lab you are being referred to...HMM. I hate to sound

cynical, but I think the money lobbies will have the shoot out. It isn't an

issue of " Are the supplements good for our health? " It's an issue of who has

the most money to lobby for thier cause. JMHO.

Amber

[Guest guest]

At 10:35 10/02/2001 +0000, you wrote:

>I just read an inflammitory post on GFCF that stated we will soon lose

>access to supplements without prescriptions. It seems if this were

>true every supplement company from A to Z would be advertising all over

>our boards to get us up in arms! Is there any truth to this?

>Thanks, Maddie

I did a few searches on this because it sounded very familiar. Back in the

early 90s there was great concern that the government would get overly

involved in the food supplement industry. But what happened was this, the

Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994:

>Signed by President Clinton on October 25, 1994, the DSHEA acknowledges

>that millions of consumers believe dietary supplements may help to augment

>daily diets and provide health benefits. Congress's intent in enacting the

>DSHEA was to meet the concerns of consumers and manufacturers to help

>ensure that safe and appropriately labeled products remain available to

>those who want to use them. In the findings associated with the DSHEA,

>Congress stated that there may be a positive relationship between sound

>dietary practice and good health, and that, although further scientific

>research is needed, there may be a connection between dietary supplement

>use, reduced health-care expenses, and disease prevention.

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dietsupp.html

The FDA also has an electronic newsletter:

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/supplmnt.html

It sounds like it might be fear mongering based on this

http://diabetes.about.com/library/weekly/aa061901a.htm?rnk=r4 & terms=hoaxes+suppl\

ements

I'd love to see any references that poster may have had. It seems to me

that as there is more and more talk about herbal supplements interferring

with doctors' prescriptions that eventually the government may change their

current policy.

Avril