WINHS.org - News - EFSA approves new vitamins and minerals for foods and supplements

Who’s Minding the Children? In the UK it’s GlaxoSmithKline One of the World’s Largest Pharmaceutical Companies.

06 July 2008

London’s Daily Mail reports that a scandal is escalating in England because their Schools Secretary appointed a GlaxoSmithKline executive to the board of the government’s official education watchdog agency, known as Ofsted. This appointment occurred less than a month before the government awarded a reported $200 million contract to Glaxo for its HPV (Human papillomavirus) vaccine for sexually transmitted diseases for school-age girls as young as 12 years, which some parents fear will give a green light to teenage sex. The appointment also comes at a time when children are being target marketed by the drug company with psychotropic drugs for treating ADHD, in particular, Glaxo markets Dexedrine in the US for ADHD and a growing number of families are filing lawsuits against Glaxo over its Paxil antidepressant, claiming the drug caused suicide or attempted suicides. (Paxil is called Seroxat in the UK).

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New Journal Study Reveals Magnesium Linked to Fewer Gallstones

26 February 2008

Increased intake of magnesium from dietary supplemental forms may decrease a man's risk of developing gallstones, suggests a new study from the US. The highest intake of magnesium was associated with a 28 per cent reduction in the risk of gallstones, according to the study with 42,705 male Americans published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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Beyond Advertising: The Pharmaceutical Industry's Hidden Marketing Tactics.

10 January 2008

In early January, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce began investigating celebrity endorsements in television ads for brand-name drugs. The investigation was sparked by Pfizer's commercials for its best-selling cholesterol drug Lipitor. These direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads feature Dr. Robert Jarvik, a pioneer in the development of the artificial heart. Viewers are not told that Jarvik is not a cardiologist, nor is he even licensed to practice medicine.

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We Become Silent

A New Documentary - Exposes Grave Dangers Posed by European and Global Regulation to Medical Freedom of Choice.

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New: The Real Risks in Natural Healthcare: Bad Science and Bad Law.

Here is a new presentation detailing EC Legislation and key Directives affecting the European Union.

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New Video: "BE WISE, BE WELL"

An eye-opening and informative half-hour with brave people who have overcome various illnesses using natural methods. Includes footage from my Attitude tour in Australia and some commentary. This short film is ideal to pass around your e-mail list to inspire others to take their health seriously and make positive changes. (DVD is still available from www.credence.org for a hi-res version).

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Conventions & Trade Shows

The Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) - Natural Healthcare Show
Date: 06 - 07 October 2007
Venue: Excel London – London’s international exhibition and conference centre

Bedford Health Show (UK)
Date: 23 - 24 September 2006 (10am - 4pm)
Venue: Bedford Athletics Stadium Barkers Lane Bedford MK41 9SB

Natural Trade Show, Harrogate (UK)
Date: 24 - 25 September 2006
Venue: Harrogate International Centre, United Kingdom

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BBC News

20 April 2007

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has issued favourable scientific opinions on calcium malate, magnesium malate, zinc malate, and magnesium potassium citrate for use in foods for particular nutritional uses, food supplements and foods intended for the general population.

UK Food Standards Authority (FSA) toxicologists said they agreed with the EFSA opinions and were seeking input from industry and other stakeholders on the addition of a number of vitamin and mineral substances to the Annexes to the Food Supplements Directive (FSD).

The FSA said it expected the European Commission to shortly make proposals for an amendment of the FSD to allow the inclusion of these substances and make them available in all 27 Member States.

In its opinion on the safety and bioavailability of "particular sources of calcium, magnesium and zinc, calcium, magnesium and zinc malates", EFSA stated: "…the use of malates as sources for calcium, magnesium and zinc in food supplements and as source of calcium in foods for particular nutritional uses and foods intended for the general population is of no safety concern."

It did add that only L-malates should be used in foods for infants and young children.

EFSA said magnesium potassium citrate presented no safety concern in the same categories and noted commercialised magnesium potassium citrate "should comply with the specifications for citric acid and its salts used as food additives."

Stakeholders can send their comments to: supps_consult@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk More information on the EFSA scientific assessments of the nutrients can be found at the following links:

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/afc/afc_opinions/ej391_malates.html

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science/afc/afc_opinions/ej392_potassium_magnesium_citrate.html

WINHS Editor’s Note: There currently are fewer than 120 approved vitamin substances that can be included in food supplements and very few have passed through the EC / EFSA procedures for inclusion. Nearly 300 vitamins have been banned by the EU Food Supplements Directives and will cease to be available legally unless they pass the inclusion to the “positive list” procedures noted in this article.