Committed to Protecting Health Freedom
The mission of CodexFund.com is to provide accurate information about issues that affect health freedom in particular dietary supplement regulations and legislation in the national and international arenas.
The Goal of CodexFund.com is to be an accurate, up to date resource of dietary supplement, health freedom related issues and legislation at the national and international level. Individuals who have questions or concerns about issues they receive via email or see online and in the news on these topics are encouraged to contact Beth Clay at beth@bethclay.com to get the facts. She is your resource!
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Senator Durbin recently sent a letter to FDA asking for increased regulation of Monster, Red Bull and other “Energy Drinks”. This is an attack on DSHEA.
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These products have traditionally been marketed as dietary supplements because they provide an alternative delivery system to pills. Supplements delivered via a powder dissolved in water that contain caffeine would also be targeted if Senator Durbin gets his way. Whether or not you are a fan of caffeine, picking ingredients and specific products or groups of products off one at a time provides a wedge through which Durbin will drive changes to DSHEA and promote drug like premarket approval regulations. Our message to Senators is simple – No new regulations on dietary supplements! Call both your Senators with this message. Click here for a letter to send in.
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FDA NDI Activity
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Since the docket closed in December on the FDA’s Draft Guidance Document to Dietary Supplement Industry on New Dietary Ingredients, the agency has remained quiet about what it will do in response to the overwhelming opposition to the document as written. A letter sent in January from Senators Hatch and Harkin to the agency calling for a rewrite has not yet been responded to by the FDA. A direct request to the agency this week has also provided no new information. A recent warning letter to one manufacturer indicates the FDA may be trying to implement the proposed guidance before it is finalized. When you call the Senate, let them know you do not agree with the FDA's proposed New Dietary Ingredient Guidance Document.
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HR. 2908: Testimonial Free Speech Bill Needs More Supporters
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Congressman Ron Paul Introduced HR 2908 the Testimonial Free Speech Bill for our industry to protect consumer testimonials. This bill has not gotten the traction in needs to move forward. Everyone, please call your Representative and encourage support. Click here for a letter to send as well. Why is this bill so important? Consumer Testimonials have long been a valuable marketing tool for every industry. The food and supplement industries are no different. It is also the only industry in which the government is actively moving to surprise the free speech of consumers. FDA wrongly interprets the law to go after companies who share the testimonials of their customers. If a consumer posts on a Company web site or forum the benefits of certain products or foods, and happens in that testimonial to mention a disease, the FDA warns the company to take the statement down or risk having the product declared an ‘unapproved new drug’. Consumer testimonials are incredibly powerful and helpful tools for other consumers who want actual input on products which they are considering to buy. HR 2908 is a Freedom of Speech issue!
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Congressman Paul Protecting Your Free Speech
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In response to growing concern about the Federal government's restriction of consumer free speech, Congress Ron Paul, introduced H.R. 2908 the Testimonial Free Speech Act. To protect the First Amendment rights of individuals to share their experiences and perceptions of the effects of foods and dietary supplements. In introducing this Bill, Congressman Paul stated, "...restricting communication of individuals' accounts of their experiences with foods and dietary supplements is a blatant violation of the First Amendment. The necessity for this bill shows how little respect the federal bureaucracy has for the Bill of Rights and the principles of a free society. I therefore urge my colleagues to join me in taking a small step toward restoring free speech by cosponsoring the Testimonial Free Speech Act."
Please sign and fax this letter to urge your Representative to co-sponsor HR 2908.
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Congressman Burton Moves to Protect DSHEA
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In response to the FDA's draft Guidance Document on New Dietary Ingredients, Congressman Dan Burton has introduced H.R.3380 -- Dietary Supplement Protection Act of 2011. This bill moves to change the 'grandfathering in' date of DSHEA from 1994 to January 1, 2007. A letter supporting this legislation and urging Senators Harkin and Hatch to introduce a Senate version of the bill is available here.
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Senator Durbin's S. 1310 Not Good for Industry
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Senator Durbin in July launched a new battled against the dietary supplement industry. S. 1310 the Dietary Supplement Labeling Act of 2011. To learn more about this legislation, please click here.
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FDA's Draft Guidance on New Dietary Ingredients Comments Due by December 2
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In July the FDA published a Draft Guidance Document on New Dietary Ingredients [Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0376]. The document is couched as a 'non-binding' guidance document which represents the agencies current thinking on new dietary ingredients. This is a massive 86 page document with 58 attachments. If finalized in its current form, it likely would curtail innovation, and potentially cause many products that were introduced after 1994 to come off the market until or unless they went through the NDI process.
Among its many problems is an attempted end-run around DSHEA that sets the stage for drug regulation like pre-market approval. The document is fatally flawed. To read a full review click here.
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We would also like to thank our board of advisors. They are:
Clinton Ray Miller
Scott Tips, JD
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