2012 Legislative Updates: Senate bill 1310

This bill has been introduced by Senator Dick Durbin (D) from Illinois. He has been serving as a senator since 1996. He is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and holds the second highest ranking position in the Senate. He introduced SB 1310 in June, 2011. It is named The Dietary Supplement Labeling Act of 2011. If passed, this bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938.

There are different interpretations with any bill and this one is no exception. Without an understanding of the history of the supplement industry or for those whose economic interest lies with disease and pharmaceuticals, they believe this bill is good and should pass.

To others that know the history of the supplement industry and the integrity it has stood for, this bill is unnecessary and unsubstantiated. To Americans that believe in the fundamental right of self-healing and natural products, SB 1310 is a potential problem that could lead to the further breakdown in our freedom of choice in health care.

This bill was introduced as the result of an infamous rogue company-outside of the “health food” industry-marketed a brownie with melatonin in it, without proper labeling. Senator Durbin claims he doesn’t want anything on the marketplace that might be a “detriment” to the consumer or that is unapproved by FDA. By contrast, Senator Durbin has chosen to ignore all the products on the market which are known to cause harm, such as hydrogenated fats, aspartame and genetically modified organisms. Perhaps he’s OK with these products because the FDA has “approved” them. Whatever the case, the FDA should address the particular company that created a brownie with melatonin in it-as the law allows them to do, rather than chastising an entire industry that has an unparalleled history of safety. Improper labeling is a concern for everyone and even though Coke is allowed to have a secret formula; those of us in the health food industry have always supported proper labeling procedures.

The proponents of this bill claim it will allow FDA to better protect the American people from the harm that supplements are presumed to cause. This inference that supplements are harming people is the first point of contention that many have with this bill. The appropriate question is; where are the deaths, and where are the mythical people that supposedly have been “harmed” by supplements?

After being in the health food industry for 37 years and personally witnessing thousands of people using supplements, I have never heard of nor do I know of anyone that has been harmed or died from taking a supplement; other than iron that has been prescribed by doctors for children. In the largest context, we know that over 160 million Americans take dietary supplements, making the United States the largest “test market” in the world. So again, where are all the harmed people that need to be protected from supplements?

The fact is; they don’t exist. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, in 2009 they reported that there have been ZERO deaths attributable to vitamins in the last 27 years. Even examining the Center for Disease Control’s website, I was unable to find any statistics regarding supplements harming citizens, other than the prescription iron and toxicity in children. Oh yes, and a Chinese herbal aphrodisiac that was meant to be used topically. 5 men decided to ingest it; 4 of them died.What I did find very easily on the website is that the CDC clearly reports that there are 4x’s more deaths from prescription drugs than illicit and illegal drugs…so who is Senator Durbin trying to protect? Certainly not the American public utilizing supplements!

FDA has already been granted all the power they need to protect the public. In 1994 a historic federal law was passed; The Dietary Health and Supplement Education Act (DSHEA.) It was the first time that guidelines for the language of supplements had been spelled out and it gave full authority to the FDA to ensure the safety for the American public by allowing FDA the power to pull a product from the marketplace after harm has been proven or by companies making false claims. If there is a problem with a particular company or product in the market then they are choosing not to fully use the authority that DSHEA granted them.

Senate bill 1310 would mandate any facility producing dietary supplements to register a description of each dietary supplement being manufactured at that facility and a list of newly labeled or a product that has been discontinued by that company/facility. A copy of the label has to be submitted as well.

What is the reason for bullying supplement companies that have for many decades, been the leaders and visionaries in the business of supplements, leading with integrity and a willingness to work in compliance with FDA? The proposed regulations are unnecessary and will prove to be expensive both in terms of time and money and our personal liberties. This bill creates unreasonable regulations for companies that have an overwhelming history of producing safe products. Senator Durbin wants to add expensive and unnecessary regulations and penalize productivity and innovation in the field of natural products.

Call your legislators and tell them not to support SB1310. Call Senator Durbin’s office and respectfully request that he focus his energy and our money where it can best serve the public health; ensuring a safe food supply. Supplements are the answer, not the problem

OUR STATEMENT ON HOMEOPATHIC hCG

The FDA recently made a statement that it is “illegal to sell homeopathic hCG as a weight-loss product.” On December 8, 2011 I spoke directly with FDA to clarify this statement and the status of this product. Many of our customers are under the impression that it is illegal for anyone to sell this product and are concerned as to the future of homeopathic hCG; many people across the United States have gained tremendous health benefits utilizing the product and the suggested food protocol. At Health Foods by Claudia, we are here to educate our customers to the greatest of our ability and take pride in the guidance that we have been blessed to give to thousands of people. Thank you for trusting our guidance.

The FDA is saying that there are no long-term studies showing that homeopathic hCG has been proven as a weight loss product. This is true. Homeopathic hCG has been sold on the marketplace for 4 years now and there have not been any studies on the weight loss benefits of this product. Until that is done, no company can sell it as a weight loss product. This product was originally approved as an approach for detoxifying. There have been many positive side effects for thousands of people; weight loss is just one of many that have been reported. The cost of doing studies on any product can run into millions of dollars and often, for small and independent companies, the expense of doing a “study” can be prohibitive.

As always at Health Foods by Claudia our goal is to offer our customers quality products with responsible education. It has been the same for homeopathic hCG. For two years we researched many products and labs before making a decision. Also we did our due diligence to understand Dr. Simeon’s original research. It was important to us to understand the mechanism and long term effects of homeopathic hCG. After two years we chose a product that is produced in a credible laboratory and has been given a NATIONAL DRUG CODE (NDC)meaning, it has been approved by the FDA. The NDC is right on the bottle.

So why did the FDA make this statement recently? There are a couple different reasons. The first is that there are MANY companies selling homeopathic hCG on the internet have been making unapproved and irresponsible claims, without proper education to the consumer and NO NATIONAL DRUG CODE APPROVAL. At Health Foods by Claudia we have stated right from the start that this protocol IS NOT for everyone and should not be used strictly as a “weight loss product.” Unfortunately, the companies that are irresponsible and not compliant with FDA have created a problem for the companies that are selling this product responsibly, with proper education and in compliance with FDA.

Secondly, because so many people across the United States have received positive results from homeopathic hCG and have reported many imbalances improving, it is possible that many people no longer have a need for their prescribed drugs, possibly leading to lost sales for the drug companies.

Homeopathic remedies are VERY safe and always have been. The fact that this product is a dilution of a human hormone creates a grey area for FDA. However, they have approved the sale of homeopathic hCG as long as there are no claims made about it for weight loss.

At Health Foods by Claudia we are here to comply with FDA mandates but also we are here to protect the rights of the American public to have the choice to address health issues as they see fit. It is every American’s right for to access safe and natural products for their health. If you are one of the thousands that have received positive benefits from homeopathic hCG, now is the time to call FDA and share your story with them. The number to call is 888-INFO-FDA. Be respectful, speak intelligently and remember, IT HELPED YOU DETOXIFY.

In peace and health freedom,
Claudia

It seems that the “Breast Cancer Awareness” campaign has flooded our country from coast to coast. It doesn’t matter where you look, there are pink ribbons everywhere. Even Pro football players are “pinked.”

I appreciate and respect the fact that so many well-intended and loving people are participating in the “fight against breast cancer” however I have to wonder… what is the message that is being sent to millions of women and why is it a fight, a battle, a war? Is the message being sent empowering individuals or creating victims? Is it teaching people that they can participate in their own wellness or is it saying “you’re going to get cancer, so find it early.”

Daily I am asked why the Susan G. Komen foundation is promoting mammograms and tamoxifen, both which have been linked to cancer. It is a very important question that I applaud people for asking and it needs to be asked loudly and publicly. I am happy that many people are finally doing their homework about the message this foundation is pushing on our nation and questioning the fundamental ideology of this organization. Sending a message that early detection is the only way to approach breast cancer is a message that I find very offensive, disturbing and sad for anyone that believes it.

There are many groups in this country claiming to be helping to find a “cure” for something, all the while defrauding the public trust. The SGK foundation seems to be yet another one of these organizations claiming to have the answers, all the while promoting questionable products and receiving money from corporations that are producing cancer-causing products. Blatantly promoting products and services that have a long history of harming people has nothing to do with health and wellness, but everything to do with greed and deceit.

To “war” against ourselves is the most unfortunate message I can think of sending to the American public; to see our bodies as the enemy is tragic. The health of the people in this country is directly affected by toxins that abound in the American food supply, everyday body care and cosmetics, well-known household cleaning supplies and in general, a contaminated environment.

The beauty of all of this is that we have the power and the ability to change what’s happening in the world around us. Every person purchasing everyday products has the power to make a difference. Instead of giving money to drug companies to “find a cure” how about everyone participating in the quality of their own life by eating foods grown without pesticides, using body care products that are free of petroleum byproducts (parabens) discovering new cleaning products that are safe for you and your family and in general…caring. That’s all it takes…is to care. Make a commitment to your own health; invest in your wellness. Change how you spend your dollars and it will change the world around you. The idea that eating healthy is too expensive is nonsense; it doesn’t mean anything anymore because we all know what disease and sickness is costing our nation, both financially and emotionally. It is ravaging this country and devastating millions of families. If we continue to ask the drug companies to find the answer without being willing to participate in the solution, we have only ourselves to blame.

Invest in wellness; it will prove to be the greatest investment you will ever make for yourself, our children and the future of this country! In peace and wellness

This month is National GMO (genetically modified organisms) Awareness month. This is a crucial issue that every consumer needs to be aware of, understand and participate in the solution. Understanding the impact of genetically modified organisms in our food supply is critical to the health of every living creature and our precious environment, for generations to come.

Genetically modified organisms are the genes of unrelated species of animals, plants, bacteria’s, viruses and pesticides that are being artificially implanted into the foods that we are eating; without anyone’s knowledge or consent. This gene-splicing is NOT happening in nature under natural conditions; it is being created in laboratories of biotech corporations, big companies that have a self-serving agenda for our food supply. This is happening because of pure greed and total arrogance. These biotech companies want to convince the American public that genetically modified organisms in the food supply are safe and necessary to produce enough food for the growing population. This is absolutely false because if they were safe, all GMO foods would be clearly labeled. Instead, the public is being deceived.

As a consumer, you can help change the course of history for our country by simply caring about the foods you are purchasing in the marketplace and what you are eating. By purchasing foods that are labeled “certified organic” you are taking a stand and defending your right to eat safe, “real” food; and helping to protect our food supply. And remember, all “certified organic” really means is real food; period. Sadly, it is the only label left in the marketplace that allows you, the consumer, to make this choice. We must support and protect this label.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed these dangerous, man-altered organisms to enter our food supply without any labeling and to enter our environment without any way to contain them; nor are there any long term studies on their safety. The only testing that is being done on GMO’s is on the American public eating them and all living creatures being exposed to them.

Since we cannot count on FDA to do what is ethically just, the natural foods industry is taking a stand and we invite you to join us. At Health Foods by Claudia we are doing everything in our power to support the companies that are GMO free; to help you feed your family the safest food possible. All of us together can take action to protect our health, our freedom and our future generations. All we have to do is care.

In peace and wellness,
Claudia