Support Freedom in Health Care

Created in 1962 by the United Nations, Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "food code") is the set of global standards governing every aspect of food production, distribution and trade.

However, Codex Alimentarius threatens to dramatically reduce our health freedoms. Health-conscious consumers may lose the ability to purchase many of the organic foods, nutritional supplements, and herbs we take for granted. Sixty percent of the world's population that depend upon herbal medicines will not be able to afford pharmaceutical drugs to replace them. And, the new laws requiring genetically modified crops, pesticides, hormones and antibiotics in foods will be cost-prohibitive to people living in developing nations, leaving billions of people to die as a result of these policies.

In the United Stated our health-care rights and freedoms are currently protected by a Federal law enacted in 1994 called Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). DSHEA considers nutritional supplements and herbs to be foods and as such, there is no upper limit on dosages. This act protects our rights as consumers and guarantees the rights we currently have.

There is a good chance that without consumer participation, the US Congress will adopt Codex Alimentarius for our import and export standards, and act to repeal or significantly weaken DSHEA.

Here are a few facts about Codex from Rima Laibow, MD:

• Codex requires that all meats, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables must be irradiated by Dec. 31, 2009.
• Codex requires that all dairy cattle are to be given Monsanto bovine growth hormone by Dec. 31, 2009.
• Codex reclassifies vitamin and mineral supplements as toxins and dramatically limits their dosage and availability.
• Many nations have already harmonized their laws with Codex making it their de facto law. This has already been approved by the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and others.
• Codex allows significant trade sanctions to be levied against noncompliant nations.
• In 2005 there were five bills submitted to congress to weaken or eliminate DSHEA.

It was only through the awareness and actions of the American consumers that DSHEA was passed in 1994. Please act now to support freedom in health care!