As a professional medical researcher, I have been attempting to make some sense of the activities of the Health Protection Branch (HPB) lately.

To understand why the HPB is making sweeping changes in the natural health product industry, I'm inclined to introduce you to CODEX, other wise known as the World Health Organization (WHO). That's right, WHO.

WHO has a connection with CODEX and the HPB. They are officially known as the United Nations/World Health Organization/CODEX Alimentarius (Nutrition Code) Commission. This Commission meets every two years with stakeholders in the industry.

By virtue of the fact that the natural health product industry and the public do not have representation at CODEX meetings, CODEX can be considered the largest threat to our health choices in today's modern world. Why? Simply because CODEX has unilateral capability and biased authority to control the standards for the health industry and its products.

The media has also been shielded from the truth behind this secretive group because they prefer their actions to be kept secret. For example, Bill C-7 (C-8 in Canada) was passed using secret wording that the public was not privy to.

Why the deflection of disclosure? Could it not be CODEX and the HPB are not forth coming with the truth about their activities because they stand to gain substantial financial considerations when the NHP market prices skyrocket. After all, they would be the absolute regulatory body!

Just what is the Codex's role in the NHP industry? They claim to "guide and protect" the foods industry. While traditionally all natural health products (NHPs) would fall under the foods category unless they make a health claim, CODEX intent is to change NHPs to the status of 'drug" thus the reasoning as to why many consumers and other stakeholders continue to be confused as to whether a natural health product is a food or a drug.

Consider this. Does CODEX and the giant pharmaceutical backed companies have our best interest in mind when they make a statement like "no herbal products, minerals or vitamins can be sold for preventative purposes? Isn't that the purpose of such products? Hasn't the health industry branded their products into the consumers mind with the statement 'an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure'?

If this Commission has their final say, natural heath products could be sold but only as a 'food item' and with limited medicinal ingredients. In fact the dosages would be severely reduced and sold at grossly elevated prices. Where's the prevention?

Can you imagine Vitamin E with only 15mg and Vitamin C with only 60 mg at a cost of $50.00? It's already happening in Germany where an amino acid that once sold for $20, now sells for $120.00. Dosages that exceed these standards would be classified as drugs and therefore illegal to sell.

If you don't think the CODEX can be enforced, guess again. Any country that does not accept these enforced standards would unfortunately be subject to severe fines by the World Trade Organization.

To learn more about the proposed NHP regulations and the Phase-In Transitional periods you can visit www.medicalbotanyresearch.com



About the Author
Linda K Beach is a Certified Herbalist & professional medical botany researcher. She is also the author of the popular manual, A Native Herbal Reference.
http://www.medicalbotanyresearch.com