FDA Attacks Complementary and Alternative Health Care

Taken From: Learning Herbs

I just spent three days reading, re-reading, researching, and discussing the proposed FDA guidelines for “Complementary and Alternative Medicine” with two FDA attorneys. You can download a copy of this proposal for yourself below.

When I first heard about this FDA attack on complementary and alternative health care, I considered it another “Chicken Little” rumor. On further study, I’m appalled at the speed with which the pharmaceutical companies are implementing Codex Alimentarius in the USA. If you don’t suspect the pharmaceutical companies control the FDA, you may want to research that further by visiting (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/).

This insidious proposal is designed to redefine every complementary and alternative health care modality and product as “medicine.” This has direct implications on the services and products provided by every alternative health care professional. There is no facet of complementary and alternative health care that is not affected. If the FDA adopts this proposal, all-natural health care would be illegal even for medical doctors.

Essential oils, herbs, herbal remedies, homeopathic remedies, minerals, nutritional supplements, plant enzymes, and vitamins are redefined in this proposal as “medicine.” Very simply, medicine is under the jurisdiction of the FDA and, by law, only licensed medical doctors may prescribe “medicines.” Anybody else who advises, advocates, counsels, distributes, markets, recommends, or suggests anybody use “medicine” is practicing medicine without a license. This is a felony in the USA punishable by fines and incarceration.

Aromatherapy, auricular therapy, biofeedback, color therapy, homeopathy, hypnotism, naturopathy, Neurotherapy, nutritional consulting, reflexology, sound therapy, and wellness consulting are among the alternative health modalities being redefined as “Alternative Medicine.”

This subtle change of vocabulary from “alternative health care” to “alternative medicine” makes all of these industries subject to control by the FDA as medicine. Only medical doctors would be allowed to provide, prescribe, and supervise the delivery of these services. Anybody else who provided any of these services would be practicing medicine without a license and subject to incarceration and fines.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is we have until April 30, 2007, to voice our opinion against this proposal to eliminate complementary and alternative health care in America. Almost 100,000 people have already filed their objections. According to Dr. Rima Laibow, medical director of the Natural Therapies Foundation, we need 50 times that many people to respond by the end of the month.

Peace, John Gilbert

You can read the actual FDA document here at the government regulations web site and search for: Meetings: National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

You can go here to find out how to contact your Senator or Congressperson to let them know what you think http://www.congress.org/.