ANH-Intl e-Alert: Update on the herb challenge

14th October 2011

We know that many of you are wondering what’s happening about the much-awaited herb challenge. Rest assured, the ANH team and our collaborating partners at the European Benefyt Foundation continue to work overtime on preparation for the case. But we’re in a bit of a ‘Catch 22’ position. On one hand, we’d dearly like to keep you fully informed on progress, but on the other, a case like this hinges on legal strategy.  The risk is that disseminating detail about the case may weaken our chances of success.  On the advice of our external legal team, we have had to reduce the amount of information in the public domain in order to not advertise our strategy. We hope you can appreciate the position we’re in and know enough about ANH-Intl as an organisation to understand that we are like a dog with a bone and we won’t rest till we’ve achieved what we set out to do. The fact that there has been a delay from our original expectations ends up actually helping the overall objective of the case as we continue to collect crucial evidence.

This delay is also allowing companies the opportunity for a little conscious objecting and many continue selling herbal products that are technically illegal. Regulators are at pains to say they are not banning any products, plants or books.  However, we feel these admissions are disingenuous and designed to hoodwink the public into believing products won't be pulled from the market. But as the European Commission makes clear in its Q&A "Where a herbal medicinal product is not registered or authorised by 1 May 2011, the product may not be on the EU market."  It's subtle isn't it? It's not a ban, but it is an inability to sell.

We only have one shot at this and we don’t intend to blow it by rushing to the finish post. We ask for your patience and ongoing support and we look forward to being able to give you another update soon.

Conflicts of interest

The words ‘truth’, ‘trust’ and ‘transparency’ are powerful words that often evoke strong opinions and sometimes, even stronger emotions – particularly when applied to the field of science. The more we see the shadow of corporate agendas behind legislative acts and regulators worshipping at the altar of science, it’s inevitable that Conflicts of Interest (COI) keep raising their ugly heads. 

Simply put, a COI describes the situation when an individual or organisation is involved in many interests, but one of those interests may have the ability to corrupt the outcome of another. Both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have been subject to numerous COI scandals. In Europe, we continually see companies like Monsanto getting their GM products green-lighted by EFSA and the European Commission.  EFSA also think it’s fine to allow the toothpaste toxin sodium monofluorophosphate to be sold in food supplements, it denies any health concerns about aspartame and it’s content to see children’s sandwiches wrapped in plastic loaded with BPA, a plasticiser even the US FDA is worried about!  On the other hand, EFSA have been unable to attribute any health claims to foods as clearly healthy as broccoli, berry fruits or probiotics. Strange, isn’t it?

When we dig a little deeper, we see that senior EFSA staff and key expert panel members have strong ties to industry. No surprise then who’s really setting the regulatory agenda. Despite EFSA’s failed attempt on Wednesday 12th October to reinvent itself as a trustworthy and ethical organisation worthy of the top food science job in Europe — we still say, a conflict of interest is a conflict of interest and has no place in a so-called ‘independent’ institution.  We also say that keeping industry scientists at arm’s length to avoid embarrassing COI exposures, while doing nothing to change defective and industry-biased scientific methodologies, smacks of window dressing.

See below for our top stories this week:

ANH-Intl Press Release: EFSA says it will clean up its act in Brussels workshop

ANH-Intl asks is this a sign of real change or just more window dressing?

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ANH Feature: Seeing right through EFSA’s claims of transparency

Troubled Authority avoids tough questions at public meeting

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ANH FEATURE: Iowa Women’s Health Study: Do supplements kill older women more quickly?

ANH exposes the deception that lies behind the latest anti-supplement study

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Organic farming blows conventional farming out of the water

30-year study proves organic farming superior in almost every aspect

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