<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
Excerpts from the original message:
>>>In 1992 it was discovered that the FDA was trying to place nutritional
>>>supplements on a DEA Schedule II listing to make them available via
>>>prescription only. The FDA may be trying to do this again. The following
>>>Senate bill is an attempt to halt this process. IF the FDA succeeds this
>>>time, they will prevent humanity from buying these necessary supplements on
>>>an international basis. I URGE you all to read the enclosed information and
>>>decide for yourselves the importance of this topic.
>>>
>>>This bill information was extracted from the usenet group sci.life-extension
>>>by me.
>>>The original poster extracted this information from the University of
>>>California computer center URL http://www.gpo.ucop.edu/. please for the sake
>>>of our health and the health of those generations to follow (not to mention
>>>your own businesses), please pay heed.
 
>>>This October the plan is to make it illegal internationally for you to buy
>>>melatonin, vitamins, amino acids, and herbs - ephedra, chamomile, ginseng,
>>>etc. unless you are willing to pay 7 to 10 times what you pay now and only
>>>buy from one of the international cartels like Lilly, Sandoz, Abbott, etc.
>>>
>>>This bill is part of an effort to prevent this. It is also important in
>>>terms of keeping the FDA from making it *illegal* for us to use the methods
>>>that keep us healthy rather than those that make money for the same
>>>cartels.
>>>
>>>Remember that the FDA supports those who give them the most money. That
>>>isn't *you*!! Even Mr. Gates would have a hard time matching the kind of
>>>money we're talking about.
 
My reply:
 
Sometimes, I walk through the nutritional supplement store near my office.
While I suspect there are some health benefits from some supplements for
some people, I am mostly skeptical about many of the claims made by
companies making or selling this stuff. (I would not be surprised to see
healing crystals appear in this store at some point in the future.) Some of
the supplement claims seem closer to matters of religious conviction than
to science. Over the years, I have observed that different preparations
become extremely popular for brief periods of time.  Sometimes, the next
thing I hear is a warning about overdoses of the preparation or about side
effects.  Then, it seems we are on to the next trendy
vitamin/mineral/whatever.  It reminds me of the never-ending series of fad
diets that seem to make money for the various sponsors decade after decade.
 
I personally might support more regulation of these supplement products.  I
think the FDA proposal of a couple of years ago correctly identified a
problem area. It may well be that the initial regulatory proposal was too
broad or too strict or otherwise deficient.
 
However,I do not react sympathetically to the exaggeration and emotional
tone of appeals for support such as are quoted above.   This demonization
of the FDA reminds me of the demonization of ATF by the NRA (over the gun
control issue).  I don't believe federal law enforcement people are
"jack-booted thugs," I don't believe FDA staff considered regulating
supplements because they were paid off by international drug cartels.  My
suspicion is that FDA looked into the matter because some consumers have
been harmed by some products, or have at least complained about overblown
claims.  In any event, if I recall correctly, the FDA initiative was killed
off in Congress a couple years ago by vigorous supplment-maker lobbying.
My feeling is that Congress probably overreacted, and prevented a nuanced
FDA proposal from being developed.
 
HERB BOLZ  :)               *   Davis, California, USA
(personal views ONLY)       *   (between Sacramento and San Francisco)
[log in to unmask]  *     ---city of bikes---