CSPI Asks FDA to Abolish Food and Supplement Health Claims

Why is a drug more likely to be dangerous? Because humans have had thousands of years to co-evolve with natural substances. Natural substances may of course be toxic for us. But the odds of any newly engineered substance being toxic, sometimes very toxic, are higher, because our bodies are completely unadapted to it.
If the Center for Science in the Public Interest is successful in abolishing Structure/Function Health Claims and Qualified Health Claims, it will not mean that foods and supplements will then be taken through the FDA approval process. This is inconceivable. It would cost way too much to do without patent protection.
Even if, hypothetically, foods and supplements were taken through the FDA approval process, nobody could afford to buy the approved products, which would now cost too much.
If Structure/Function and Qualified Health Claims disappeared, all that would happen is that Americans would have even less information than they do today about the potential health benefits of foods and supplements. Drugs would be the only game in town, no matter how expensive and how dangerous they might be.
The only way Americans would have to learn about the health benefits of eating the right foods and taking the right supplements would be to burrow into scientific journals. Much needless death and suffering would result. Our economy would continue to pay a higher and higher price for monopoly healthcare that does not improve our health.
Take action now! Sign our letter and tell the FDA not to abolish the Structure/ Function and Qualified Health Claims systems, but rather expand them and stop censoring good science.
It is not a coincidence that certain vested interests, supported by groups like CSPI and the FDA, want to shut down any free flow of information about natural approaches to health. The new drug pipeline is getting thinner and both food and supplements are increasingly viewed by consumers as a much healthier alternative to drugs.
There is nothing less than a scientific revolution currently taking place at the intersection of food, food extracts, and food supplements. Solid, peer reviewed scientific research is pouring forth from reputable research institutions, especially research universities such as Harvard, Stanford, and the like.
Unfortunately the American people do not hear about this research. Food and supplement producers would like to tell them about it. But FDA rules prevent it.
This is the great “Catch 22” of modern American medicine. The greatest innovation and the most exciting news today is in natural medicine. But because natural substances aren’t patentable, they won’t get FDA approval. And because they won’t get FDA approval, the government won’t let us hear about it.
Don’t let the FDA tighten the noose on health information even further. Take action now to maintain your right to know. Reassert the constitutional right of all Americans to free and truthful speech about science.
Consider what is happening in Europe right now. Under emerging European rules, even a doctor will not be allowed to talk to a patient in private about food or supplements that have not been approved by the health authority. At least the Europeans do not let the drug companies fund the health authority as we let the drug companies fund the FDA! (For more information about what is happening in Europe and internationally and how this relates to the CSPI proposal to the FDA, see ANH Feature: US health claims regime under Euro-threat.)
It is time to call a halt to this madness before European rules are adopted in the US. Good science should be freely available to all. Both food and supplement producers should be able to cite it without fear of jail. What can you do about this? Send a message directly to the FDA. Tell them to reject the CSPI proposal.
Please take action now.
Hunter Lewis
ANH-USA President