Health Supreme by Sepp Hasslberger

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August 30, 2003

Meet Codex Alimentarius

Codex Alimentarius - an international body that sets standards for foods - is deliberating uniform world wide rules for vitamin and mineral supplements. The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses, to some known by its acronym CCNFSDU, will be meeting once again this year. The gathering will take place in Bonn, Germany, and it will try to achieve the needed "consensus" for the vitamin rule to pass. The meeting will go on for a week, from 3 to 7 November.

The host for the meetings of the Committee on Nutrition (CCNFSDU) has traditionally been Germany. It was also the German delegation to this committee which first introduced the proposed rules in 1994. At the time I realized that the Germans delegation had a rabidly anti-supplements agenda, possibly because of the strength and influence of pharmaceutical interests which have long determined "health" policy, especially in Germany. In a comment to this first proposal I wrote that there is no need to restrict supplement availability because of an overwhelming safety record. I also pointed out that consumers and natural health practitioners might be very upset if they found that they could no longer find vitamins in proper dosages.

Although Codex guidelines are born in a very slow process - eight steps of procedure to publish a rule and years of work to arrive at the point of agreement - these deliberations will eventually give birth to very powerful legislation. Powerful because the Codex dictates on vitamins and minerals will be applied world wide, according to research done by AHHA, who attended several of the meetings. The World Trade Organization may enforce standards issued by Codex, overriding national laws. The WTO is using the mechanism of Trade Sanctions when its "Dispute Settelement" body believes countries need to change their laws to conform to such Standards.

One of the most penetrating voices to condemn these quasi-secret meetings resulting in international legislation has been that of Dr. Rath, who charges that Codex is little more than a club controlled by pharmaceutical interests. According to Rath, the Codex rules being discussed on supplements will perpetuate the pharmaceutical business with disease which has been a very lucrative business indeed.

Codex delegations are made up of national ministry of health officials, typically of the food control department in health or agriculture ministries. Multi-national companies of the food and pharmaceutical area are participating as members of many national delegations. Rules are made by "consensus" of the participating national health authorities. In effect, we have here an international law making body that draws for its decisions on the opinions of ... health ministry officials - with the advice of industry lobbyists. Hardly a proper way to make legislation that will affect our health for decades to come.

Last year, the CCNFSDU meeting was held in Berlin, Germany, and it was highly interesting to see the deep divide between the proponents of restrictive legislation (Germany, France, Norway) and the countries with more liberal laws, but also the deep mistrust emanating from the developing countries who see a Codex guideline for vitamin supplements as an effort to encroach on their nutritional policy. Developing countries generally prefer to try and feed their people, many of whom are starving or undernourished. They see an eventual Codex guideline as a way for the multinationals to muscle their way into their national economies with junk food and vitamin supplements as an added luxury.

Economically, the developing countries cannot possibly afford widespread supplementation at this stage of the game, so they oppose any standard for vitamin supplements as superfluous and damaging to their own national food priorities. The "one size fits all" approach of Codex may be valid for eliminating contaminants in foods and for standardizing food hygiene and food processing procedures, but it is definitely not welcome in this highly sensitive area of supplementation. My report on the 2002 meeting in Berlin gives you an idea of the "clash of civilizations" that regularly comes to a head in these gatherings.

Health effects of supplements are generally acknowledged but are said to be outside of the Codex mandate. Many countries prefer to treat anything above the recommended daily allowances (RDA) as medicines - to be closely regulated. Of course this plays into the hands of the pharmaceutical giants who would rather sell expensive synthetic drugs to the sick than cheap nutrients which might eliminate their lucrative business altogether.

It is possible for anyone interested to participate in these meetings and to talk to their national representatives. Industry does it - why not consumers and natural health practitioners? All you need to do is contact your health ministry's Codex office and ask. You can find the contact details on this page. (Scroll down to "ALINORM 03/26A - Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
24th Session" to get the PDF file.)

See also:


The Growing Threats to DSHEA
A well documented article by Paul Taylor, discussing DSHEA, the US law on food supplements passed in 1994, and how this law may be influenced by the Codex Alimentarius guidelines on supplements...

Codex Animation by airlock - a concerned teen ...


To find out more, you can search this site putting "Codex Alimentarius" in the search box on top of each page. There are numerous articles.

 


posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Saturday August 30 2003
updated on Tuesday December 21 2010

URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/08/30/meet_codex_alimentarius.htm

 


Related Articles

Codex 2003 - Grossklaus and Mathioudakis: Nutrition not relevant to Health
November 3-7, 2003, the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for special dietary uses met in BONN, Germany, for their once-yearly come-together. On the agenda for discussion were, before baby foods and the description of healthy properties of food on labels, the proposed Codex Giudelines for "Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements". Such guidelines would be, once passed, the equivalent of international law to be followed in all commerce of vitamin... [read more]
November 25, 2003 - Sepp Hasslberger

Saving Us From Ourselves - CODEX
This is one of the best summaries on the European Health Directive commonly known as CODEX and on how it will impact us here in North America and elsewhere. Please seriously read and take action as outlined in Dr. Wright's action plan. Canadians Can also rally in this effort through donating to and becoming members of the Friends of Freedom grassroots organization and repeatedly writing to their MPs. See Canadian... [read more]
October 19, 2004 - Chris Gupta

Codex Alimentarius - Optimizing Nutrient Intakes
During the annual meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Nutrition and Foods For Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) in November 2003, a decision was made to establish an electronic working group to set new nutrient reference values for the labelling of food products. Work on this is proceeding and indeed, the National Health Federation (NHF) has recently made a well documented proposal for optimized nutrient reference values that would -... [read more]
April 20, 2004 - Sepp Hasslberger

Codex Nutrition Committee: Supplement Guidelines Final
Tuesday 2 November 2004 - The Codex Alimentarius Nutrition Committee sitting in a week-long conclave here in Bonn, formerly the capital of Germany, has concluded its deliberations of proposed international Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Supplements. I am sitting in this meeting together with Scott Tips and Paul Taylor of the National Health Federation, one of the only consumer-centered bodies allowed in the meetings, and certainly the only NGO that... [read more]
November 03, 2004 - Sepp Hasslberger

South Africa Opposes Codex Rule on Food Health Information
The international food standard setting body, Codex Alimentarius has been deliberating a giudeline to determine what information food product labels may contain. The draft guideline, which is ready to be adopted at the next meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Geneva, Switzerland, to be held from 28 June to 3 July 2004, says that no information may be given regarding any food's effects for the prevention, alleviation or cure... [read more]
June 12, 2004 - Sepp Hasslberger

Codex and the Titanic's Deck Chairs
Rearranging the Deck Chairs on the Titanic is the title of the report of Scott Tips, correspondent of Whole Foods Magazine and representative of the National Health Federation on this year's meeting in Bonn, Germany where, in the first days of November, the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Nutrition and Special Dietary Foods - CCNFSDU - had its yearly conclave. I have previously reported on this meeting, and have also posted... [read more]
December 04, 2003 - Sepp Hasslberger

 

 

 


Readers' Comments


A comment received by e-mail, forwarded by Boudewijn Wegerif

I hardly see the value of individuals "talking" to their country representatives who basically are sold out pharma industry representative hired votes; except to witness a travesty; except to hear your opinions fall on deaf ears and the predetermined vote go against you. Such witnesses could be helpful as eyes to the burial of truth and justice but as effective as a happenstance rowboat in stopping the sinking of the Titanic. Better the meeting be stopped.

Who gives these people authority to make laws for us? Certainly not the people they claim to represent. I say challenge their authority; challenge their validity and right to exist. Challenge the process by which delegates are selected. Investigate the funding for the payment of the expenses of every person in attendance and the sources of their incomes, and every vendor providing to the entire fiasco.

This is certainly not representative government which it proposes itself to be. This is kangaroo court, an injustice in the making that has no right to exist. This body does not represent we the people, it represents only the vested interest of the pharma cartels.

Michael J Shelley (mcashflow@aol.com)

Posted by: Josef Hasslberger on September 1, 2003 01:16 AM

 


This is really very scary stuff. If this goes ahead, the regular people who just want to get and stay healthy are in a heap of trouble. Supplement manufacturers have not a hope against the pharmaceutical companies, who are no doubt behind this in a big way. It is in their interests to make sure that plenty of people are sick, otherwise, no business.

Posted by: Nancy Flexman on September 1, 2003 05:46 PM

 


Dear Nancy,

thank you for your comment, and I believe you are right, the regulations Codex is discussing have pharmaceutical influence written all over them. I also agree that the supplements manufacturers are no match for the giant, at least not in their current, somewhat sleepy state.

However, if they could wake up - they have for many years been reassured that nothing much is wrong by their trade associations - and if they would link up with practitioners and consumers, I believe that we would have a chance.

Anything you, or anyone else reading this, can do to nurture progress in the direction of waking people (and companies) up to the realities of what's coming our way, would help tremendously.

Kind regards
Josef

Posted by: Josef Hasslberger on September 1, 2003 10:51 PM

 


I don't think that your position on food supplements makes little sense. I agree that the Codex is captured by lobbyists and vested interests (the US has tried hard to push a Codex standard on rBGH, under the pressure of Monsanto). But regarding health supplements, as a user of natural stuff, I strongly support standards that will prevent hazardous supplements to be sold by crooks (like those herbal supplements that have poisoned hundreds of people in Belgium). I think that a tough standard is a protection for us, and that you are fighting the wrong fight.

Posted by: Bureau Chris on September 21, 2003 07:16 PM

 


Hello Chris,

I believe you are falling for propaganda. Can you tell me what herbal supplement "poisoned hundreds of people in Belgium"? Any reference to real data on this?

If you start looking beyone the pharma inspired propaganda, you will see it's all a scam to justify regulations that are

1) not needed and
2) will eliminate competition to pharma from natural products.

You say "hazardous supplements". That's a very broad and general statement. Have you looked at the actual statistics? How hazardous are supplements compared to other hazards, including "normal" food and pharmaceutical "medicines"?

See this page for information:

Kind regards
Josef

Posted by: Josef Hasslberger on September 22, 2003 10:00 AM

 


Protest song Codex Alimentarius: Here's to your health
River Zydeco Band feat. Henk Mutsaers
http://www.uitdaging.net/Health_Protest_Song.html

Basic right humanity is damaged: Right to healthy foods!

The Food and Pharmaceutical industry have both one item on their agenda: Trying to imitate nature and patent the products that originate from that. With the Codex Alimentarius, soon high doses of natural supplements are forbidden, and with that, the basic condition of the Maslow pyramid: Our Right on Natural Food.

Step by step people got used to the use of artificial fertilizers with farming while far better free alternatives are at hand with sea farming. After that followed by GMO patented seeds. At this moment, 80 percent of the supermarket self's are filled with at some extent unnatural products, some of witch the word 'food' is a shame, because they don't feed you! Lots of people still have the idea they eat a healthy mix of vegetables and fruits while they traveled thousands of miles before they land 'fresh' on your plate. Grown on depleted soil and sometimes even on rock wool! In our 'cultivated' Western society it's very hard to escape the fact that we are all deficient with vital en essential nutrients.

The Food industry and Big Parma agenda doesn't know any borders. It's time to ban natural nutritional supplements with these dangerous high doses that 'might' keep people healthy. Now that more and more people have discovered this fact, the big profits might come under pressure. The new norm will be as low as two depleted carrots! This new law will rob a naturopathic doctor from his most valuable tools: Essential nutrients. Food! Yours and My health have been made subordinate to super profits.

Politicians have sold their soul and religion and are no more then marionettes, dangling on the chalk lines of these multinationals with an unstoppable hunger for power and money. Never have I caught a politician of guard talking about the Codex Alimentarius. Add up, all the decisions politicians made over the years and they are nowhere near as important then what's happening now! Most people even don't have a clue what's going on. It's a shame.

Most diseases from witch people suffer from are attributed to the aging process and science tells us that it's all in our genes. Nothing is more beside the truth! Almost everybody in the modern civilized Western world is suffering from a lack of essential en vital nutrients. Do we have to illegally import nutritional supplements ourselves in about a year or are we forced to grow our own vegetables and fruits? You and Me, we've got a powerful tool to vote with; Our Wallet! Act Now.

Henk Mutsaers

Posted by: Henk Mutsaers on March 22, 2008 02:48 PM

 















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The Individual Is Supreme And Finds Its Way Through Intuition

 

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

These articles are brought to you strictly for educational and informational purposes. Be sure to consult your health practitioner of choice before utilizing any of the information to cure or mitigate disease. Any copyrighted material cited is used strictly in a non commercial way and in accordance with the "fair use" doctrine.

 

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