Natural Health Products under fire in Canada

Hundreds of natural health products could disappear from store shelves next spring

As of April 2010, all natural health products will need an NPN, natural product number, to be sold.


Natural Health Products: 53 Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Health


NHPs (Natural Health Products) are defined in the Regulations to include:

• traditional medicines
• homeopathic medicines
• vitamins and minerals
• herbal remedies
• probiotics
• amino acids
• plant isolates
• essential fatty acids (like Omega-3)

NHPs exclude:

• prescription drugs
• drugs administered by puncturing the skin
• substances that are regulated by the Tobacco Act or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

New Brunswick pharmacist John Staples says it's "crazy" for Health Canada to apply the same standards to both pharmaceuticals and natural health products. 

"Pharmaceutical drugs are far more potent and just a slight deviation in dosage can be dangerous," said Staples, whose Moncton pharmacy Staples Drugs, has sold both types of drugs for 40 years.


"A doctor can prescribe the arthritis drug Celebrex for you, but it can also cause a heart attack," he said as an example. "With homeopathic drugs, you can take 10 times the dosage and there's no problem."

Health Canada is not allowing any "may" claims. For instance, a label cannot say the product "may" do something. In Health Canada's eyes, it either has an effect or not.

Just over 36 per cent of natural health products were rejected for licensing.

Codex Alimentarius
The primary mandate of Codex is to develop food standards for the protection of the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in food trade. The standards, guidelines and related texts developed by Codex are intended for voluntary use by governments.

Health Canada's official position on the adoption of Codex guidelines.
 

The manufacture, importation and sale of vitamin and mineral supplements and other natural health products in Canada will not be affected by the Commission's adoption of the Guidelines. (of Codex Alimentarius)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/intactivit/codex/activit/vit_min_sup-eng.php

Codex will essentially be treating all nutrients as toxins until they are licensed. Therefore, only what is expressly allowed under Codex Alimentarius will be permitted, and everything else is forbidden.


Although Canada is proclaiming that the strict Codex guidelines will not be adopted fully in Canada...

Section 1.3 of the Guidelines stipulates that they are for use only in those countries that regulate vitamin and mineral supplements as food. As Canada regulates vitamin and mineral supplements as natural health products, the Guidelines are not applicable to the Canadian regulatory system. The manufacture, importation and sale of vitamin and mineral supplements and other natural health products in Canada will not be affected by the Commission's adoption of the Guidelines. Such products will continue to be regulated in Canada by the Natural Health Products Regulations under the Canadian Food and Drugs Act.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/intactivit/codex/activit/vit_min_sup-eng.php

... once can't help but wonder if there is a bit of slight of hand in pushing through legislation under a differently name policy - equally harmonizing Canada's Food, drug and mineral guidelines with the WTO's agenda.

I doubt that the decision makers in Canada will want to be on the losing end of a trade dispute when the rules with the World Trade Organization state:  When disputes arise and countries are pulled in to WTO, the one that is Codex compliant automatically wins, regardless of the merits of its case.


To support the cause to save our NHP in Canada, visit http://www.saveournaturalhealthproducts.ca/.

Footnote: The European Union's Food Supplements Directive, by the way, will go into full effect in Europe on December 31, 2009

October 30, 2009 - Multiple H1N1 Vaccine Serious Reactions Reported in Calgary

Henry Kissinger

"First, the international financial crisis can help the creation of an international political order for a negative reason. Every country is so preoccupied with its own domestic issues; no country has a great surplus of resources that it can devote to international adventures. So, if political leadership can develop, this is a good objective circumstance. Secondly we are living in a period in which, for the first time that I know of, no major country is challenging the international system. All of the challenges to the international system come from countries that, in relation to the overall order, are relatively fringe countries or from non-state actors. So, the opportunities that we can see in developing the global patterns that are inherent in this situation are very great despite the fact that the surface knowledge is the opposite."

Dr. Henry Kissinger
Trilateral Commission

http://www.trilateral.org/AnnMtgs/PROGRAMS/09tokyopdf_folder/Kissinger.pdf

Serious Seasonal Flu Vaccine Reaction

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dystonia.html

... like it's 1999

Ten years ago the world was a different place. 

1999:

• The DOW hits 10,000 for the 1st time
• An international currency in Europe was introduced
• President Clinton's America and NATO were fighting a controversial war in Kosovo
• Windows 98SE was released
• NASA crashed the Lunar Prospector into the Moon
• Megadeath released 'Set the World Afire'  - A song about World War 3
• 'Monopoly Men, Federal Reserve Fraud' exposes the Fed
• 'Pandemic: The Case of the Killer Flu' released on TV
  

2009:

• The DOW hits 10,000 for the 1st time in a year
• Global currency is being as a real possibility
• President Obama's America and NATO are fighting a controversial war in Afganistan
• Windows 7 is released
• NASA crashed LCROSS into the Moon
• Megadeath released 'Endgame'- A song about FEMA Camps and the New World Order
• The Obama Deception and Fall of the Republic exposes how messed up things have gotten
• A Pandemic and Killer Flu is advertised on TV

 Or not.

Hidden Dangers of Adjuvanted H1N1 Vaccines

Possible hidden hazards of mass vaccination against new influenza A/H1N1: have the cardiovascular risks been adequately weighed?

Programs for vaccination against the new influenza A/H1N1 targeting many hundred million citizens in Europe and the USA are to be launched in the fall of this year. The USA is planning to employ a non-adjuvanted vaccine, whereas European nations are opting for inclusion of MF9, the adjuvant contained in an alternative seasonal flu vaccine, or the related adjuvant AS03 that is contained in a recentlyeveloped H5N1 vaccine.

We draw attention to unappreciated hazards of using adjuvanted vaccine in Europe. Evidence from animal experiments in conjunction with clinical epidemiological data indicates that, quite irrespective of cause, stimulation of the immune system may accelerate atherogenesis.

[...]

Atherosclerosis is a case in point. Mobilization of innate immune components to intimal lipids possibly represents a physiological means to clear tissues of cholesterol, whose poor solubility necessitates its removal by macrophages. Clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic vessel disease ensue only when pathological late lesions evolve as the cholesterol removal machinery breaks down through overload. Lesional macrophages then cease to execute their physiological function in a quiescent manner and detrimental effects follow with all the known clinical consequences.

[...]

Atherogenesis: The process of forming atheromas, plaques in the inner lining (the intima) of arteries.  Strokes, heart attack or even death can be caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries. The plaque itself is a result of cholesterol problems, smoking, and high blood pressure.   

Invoking a robust inate immune response using an adjuvent can potentially over-stimulate the macrophages that are attempting to clear the fatty tissue.  This leads to inflamation of the macrophages, and ultimatly heart attack or stroke. 

Application of adjuvanted flu vaccines to individuals at risk may therefore aggravate the course of underlying atherosclerotic vessel disease with all the clinical consequences. The same may hold true for other widespread diseases that are propelled by deregulated immune mechanisms.

[...]

Safety trials conducted to date have not specifically taken these possible side effects into account, and unexpected serious adverse effects thus may follow in the wake of a general vaccination program.

If, at any stage, vaccination drives macrophages into their inflammatory state, the effects on atherosclerosis will hardly be unpredictable and acute clinical events could be precipitated. Causes might be the adjuvant or another ingredient, a combination of both, or any other inflammatory events provoked by intramuscular injection of the vaccine.

[...]


Sucharit Bhakdi - Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene
Karl Lackner - Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Hans-Wilhelm Doerr - Department of Medical Virology

Published online: 23 October 2009

Complete Article

Largest Vaccination Program in History Begins

October 26, 2009.

All canadians now have the option to get both seasonal and H1N1 vaccine available at the same time.   This is being done nation-wide, one shot in each arm. 


Soon, seasonal vaccine will be removed from immunization clinics.  If required, it will be re-introduced later.


Studies suggest that upwards of 1/3 of seniors  have a natural immunity to H1N1.  Perhaps they were previously exposed to a short lived version of the H1N1 virus. 


The Public Health Agency of Canada has identified these groups as a priority for immunization: For those who want to be given a vaccine, but do not want a needle, the nasal spray version of the anti-gen is not available in Canada, at the moment. 


The United States started vaccinating their people with MedImmune's Flumist. 
Live, attenuated intranasal vaccine (or LAIV) is sprayed into the nose.

The 2009 H1N1 LAIV does not contain thimerosal (mercury) or other preservatives.


Canada has not approved the use of FluMist.
 
Likewise, the USA has not approved the use of any adjuvent in their vaccine.  Canada, on the other hand - has approved (for the 1st time) the use of an adjuvent in a vaccine.

Canada's injectable vaccine includes thimerosal as a preservative and an adjuvent, called AS03.  This contains Squalene - which is shark liver oil.  Squalene is widely discussed as being a contributing factor for Gulf War Syndrome - via the squalene in the Anthrax vaccinations troops received. 

AS03:

DL-α-tocopherol: 11.86 milligrams/0.5mL dose
Squalene: 10.69 milligrams/0.5mL dose,
Polysorbate 80: 4.86 milligrams/0.5mL dose

The adjuvent is mixed in with the vaccine to stretch out the supply, and apparently promotes antibody production. Because this version of the vaccine is meant to be stockpiled, evidently the thimerosal is added as a preservitive. 

Canada has decided, at this point - not to answer Obama's call to join those countries who pledge to donate 10% of the county's vaccine to third world countries.   

I believe Canada likely be looking to return tens of millions of doses to GSK, but ultimatley contribute to the Global Response and donate a few.  We ordered over 50 million doses and will need maybe 15 million.  I hope Canada's kept the receipt.  If we end up with just In-Pharma credit, we'd be liable for another pandemic to supply vaccines for. In fact, according to Helen Branswell of The Canadian Press - Canadian Authorities may be in discussion with big Pharma to do just that.


Health Canada suspects 35% or more of Canadians will be sick and out of circulation due to the H1N1 virus.  Not at work, not at school. 


Most people who come into contact and contract the H1N1 virus will have mild reaction.

According to the CDC, symptoms of swine flu infections can include:

• fever  
• cough
• runny nose
• stuffy nose  
• sore throat  
• body aches 
• headache  
• chills  
• extreme fatigue or tiredness
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• pneumonia
• respiratory failure