Previews of Coming Attractions- part 1
By Hesh Goldstein 

Imagine coming to Down To Earth and finding the supplement section closed, at best, or the store boarded up and out of business, at worst. So, you go to Long's to pick up some vitamin C, but the only dosage you can get is 60 mg without a prescription. You have been taking a mega dose to help fight heart disease or build up your immune system to fight cancer and now you have to find a doctor willing to prescribe that dosage. No longer are you free to decide, on your own, how much to take. Bad? It gets worse. Imagine that all of this is the result of new legislation imposed by lawmakers with direct ties to pharmaceutical companies - powerful companies that will use the law to create an enormous new source of profits. . Talk about a nightmare! But what makes this truly nightmarish is that, incredibly, this scenario will soon become a reality in the United Kingdom and most of Europe . That is, if the global pharmaceutical industry has its way.

On March 13, 2002, the European Parliament - a 626 member legislative body representing the 15 European union countries - passed the "EU Directive on Dietary Supplements", which classifies vitamins as medical drugs rather than food supplements. The Directive grants a transition period of three years for vitamin supplements already on the market. However, in 2005 every EU country will be required to implement the Directive. In just three years, a wide range of natural remedies will be banned across most of Europe , making as many as 300 ingredients - including chromium picolinate, selenium, lysine and yeast - illegal for over-the-counter sale.

The supplements that remain in stores will contain very low dosage amounts - not to provide any real therapeutic value. It's almost as if they are passing a law against prevention. So, not only are the pharmaceutical companies eliminating competition from natural products for treating illnesses, they are essentially forcing greater need for prescription products for the citizens of the EU. After all, without prevention, where will people be forced to turn when they get even the slightest bit ill? To physicians who will prescribe mainstream pharmaceuticals or super-strength, prescription-only vitamins supplied by - guess who- the Pfizers, Mercks and Bayers of the world.

To make matters worse, a number of EU Commissioners have direct links to international pharmaceutical companies making this activity anything other than objective. The blatant pharmaceutical industry influence on this directive would be laughable if the consequences weren't so great. In a smooth double-talk that is almost frightening, the EU Directive states: "In order to ensure a high level of protection for consumers and facilitate their choice, the products that will be put on the market must be safe and bear adequate and appropriate labeling". "Protection"? To "facilitate their choice"?

Hesh Goldstein is the moderator of “Health Talk”, a weekly radio show on K-108 radio
(1080 on the AM dial), that airs on Saturday morning from 8am to 9am.

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