8 replies to this topic

[mitkat]

A new bill is being pushed through legislature that could radically change the Canadian Food and Drug Act.

Some of the changes proposed by the bill are radical alterations to key terminology, including replacing the word "drug" with "therapeutic product" throughout the Act, thereby giving the Canadian government broad-reaching powers to regulate the sale of all herbs, vitamins, supplements and other items. With this single language change, anything that is "therapeutic" automatically falls under the Food and Drug Act. There are no guarantees that this won't include bottled water, blueberries, dandelion greens and essentially all plant-derived substances.

The Act also changes the definition of the word "sell" to include anyone who gives such therapeutic products to someone else. In theory, a mother giving an herb to her child, under the proposed new language, could be in violation of the new law, and be arrested for engaging in the sale of unregulated, unapproved "therapeutic substances."

A bit reactionary? Yes. Something to be ignored? No. Canada has a tight enough supplement policy as is (no ALCAR, or any carnitine, among many other things). This would allow essentially anything with any sort of therapeutic property to be under even tighter legal scrutiny. I'm all for government controls in place, especially in regards to health, but this is swayed so heavily towards the pharmaceutical industry it's not even funny.

The act - http://www2.parl.gc....x?DocId=3398126

Opposing literature - http://www.stopc51.com

There was a protest in Toronto on the weekend, I had to work :(

Edited by mitkat, 12 May 2008 - 07:57 PM.

[Mind]

It could be portrayed as an effort to bolster the pharmaceutical industry, however, there isn't BIG money to be made in Canada through pharma anyway because of the nationalized health care system. It seems it is just a power grab by the bureaucrats. They know what is good for you, or they think you are too stupid to decide for yourself. They think of themselves societies' saviors.

[Ghostrider]

What is their justification for banning ALCAR?

[mitkat]

It could be portrayed as an effort to bolster the pharmaceutical industry, however, there isn't BIG money to be made in Canada through pharma anyway because of the nationalized health care system. It seems it is just a power grab by the bureaucrats. They know what is good for you, or they think you are too stupid to decide for yourself. They think of themselves societies' saviors.

I know what you mean Mind. It's not like our pharm. industry is that powerful, generics are widely available - however it is still a powerful lobby group nonetheless

This bill hopefully won't pass, as the Bloc Quebecois and NDP (democratic socialist) parties will flip their collective lids when it's read. A neo-conservative that introduced the bill and it seems very few people are agreeing with him, there is talk of the bill everywhere, and protests in all major cities.

[mitkat]

What is their justification for banning ALCAR?

Carnitine is poisonous to beavers.

[renton]

I wouldn't be too concerned about this bill passing, Mitkat. The Conservatives are giving this bill the straw man's treatment. It's a non-starter.

First off, it's a minority government. This means the Conservatives will undoubtedly have to get the Liberals on board for it, and I can assure you it won't get the party's complete support. Some of the more ill-informed Liberals (and there's plenty of those, unfortunately) might support it, but the party will be divided. The NDP and Bloc will never let this bill pass, not a chance.

Second, it seems odd the Conservatives would be posting this bill right now in a minority situation unless they knew it has no real chance of passing. They're doing this to cozy up to Big Pharma and their lobbyists and say, "look dudes, we tried to pass this bill, it didn't." It's all about paying lip service to these people and their corporate agenda.

Finally, the Conservatives know there's far too much money to be lost in a bill like this becoming law. If there's one language Tiny Tories understand, it's money.

[cinnabar]

Health Canada's NHPD announcement list sent out this link this afternoon:

http://healthycanadi...billC-51_e.html

They're obviously trying to counter the claims made by some people who are against the bill.

I'm not sure how this new bill would affect me, as I buy almost all my supplements from the US for financial reasons. I personally don't want closer scrutiny of the supplements I import from the US.

I've read somewhere that carnitine was put on schedule F after Sigma Tau made a donation or investment relating to the Minister of Health at that time. I don't know if thats true or not.

[niner]

What is their justification for banning ALCAR?

Carnitine is poisonous to beavers.

A priest, a rabbi, and a trapper walk into a bar...

[edward]

What is their justification for banning ALCAR?

Carnitine is poisonous to beavers.

LMAO