<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Scott Adams wrote:

>DON WISS REPLIED:
>
>My understanding is the Coeliac Society of the UK gets funding from the
>manufacturers of this proprietary wheat starch.
>
>MY COMMENTS:
>
>I have not seen any information that the Coeliac Society of the UK get
>"funding" from the manufacturers of Codex quality wheat starch, but I
>suppose it is possible.

At their web site you will find that they don't charge dues, but are
entirely funded by donations.

>The implication Don is making here, I believe, is
>that this funding somehow influences their acceptance of Codex wheat starch
>as safe for people with celiac disease, which I seriously doubt.

I received one private reply to my post. A UK fellow, that is not a UK
Coeliac Society member, wrote to the society asking them to take legal
action against me for my post to the list.

>Actually Codex wheat starch is considered safe by almost all national
>support groups in Europe regardless of where they get their funding.

I believe it is only the national support groups in the north. Not almost
all. Not Italy.

>Study after study has shown it to be safe for celiacs, including the
>following:
>
>>http://www.celiac.com/treat.html#wheat_starch

People should realize that Scott is not an impartial observer. At his web
site he sells a bread mix with this wheat starch. He stands to gain
financially if this foodstuff is approved in the US.

>I am certain that the Coeliac Society of the UK and other major European
>support groups have based their acceptance of the product on scientific
>evidence,

They were recommending this wheat starch long before there were any
studies. And as people have posted there are studies showing it is safe.
Then there are studies, from other countries, that show it lowers the
quality of life in some patients. I bet if I could make it through all the
Flash at the UK site I'd find something about very sensitive celiacs should
avoid wheat starch if it bothers them.

>and not on where they might get a small portion of their funding.

Don't be so sure that it is small.

Don.