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Alert
Updated
November 2008
Sorry for the long delay is updated this page, so much
to keep track of and such little time. The area that I am focusing on
these days is Health Freedom in Wisconsin http://wihfc.
com/about_ us.htm Below is an article that
was written by advocates in the state of Wisconsin outlining the current
issues and challenges facing Health Freedom in Wisconsin. The Health
Freedom group here in Wisconsin is preparing to submit a bill at the next
legislative session and they need our help. You can help by donating money
and/or calling your representatives. When the bill number is assigned we
will let you know. If you are from another state, check the status of
Health Freedom in your state:
National Health Freedom
Coalition
HEALTH
FREEDOM by Syncha Maniscalco and Dave Luepke
History was made in a lot of ways during this election, but one thing
never changes. The debate over Health
Care and Health
research continues to be little more than an argument about how
it should be paid for.
The founding principles of this country are directly responsible for
the incredibly rapid advances that we have seen in every aspect of our
lives. The key principles to this remarkable progress are Freedom and
Equal Protection under the law. When these principles are followed,
good things happen.
Unfortunately, we have not followed those guiding
principles when it comes to Health Care. We have allowed
powerful special interests to dominate and the Government agencies
that are supposed to protect us have become little more than the
marketing arm of the very products they are supposed to regulate. At
the same time, serious , chronic diseases have become epidemic.
Examples abound of innovative and reasonably priced health protocols
that have been covered up or even forcibly removed from the markets,
and instead of rewarding innovation we have stifled and punished it.
Some of us have a better idea. Basically we are saying, “When all
else fails, read the directions!!” The principles of Freedom and
Equal justice under the law are the keys to successful and affordable
Health Care. The Wisconsin Health Freedom Coalition (WIHFC) is a grass
roots lobbying organization dedicated to preserving access to natural
therapies and nutritional information in Wisconsin.
Check out our website http://wihfc.
com/about_ us.htm to read about
the upcoming introduction of our exciting Consumer Health Freedom and
Access Act. This proposed legislation would protect the rights of
Wisconsin Citizens to access natural, herbal, preventative and alternative
health care. We are actively promoting open discussion and
innovation and opposing those who suppress it.
Please check our website http://wihfc.
com/about_ us.htm to read about
the WDA (Wisconsin
Dietetic Association) proposed legislation that would limit
your access to nutritional information. WDA seeks licensure to
monopolize nutritional information that is bought and paid for by
large corporations which are interested in profit and not your health.
When you check out the website be sure to click on “Useful Links.”
There you will find a lot of documentation as to what is wrong with
Health Care in America and why it costs so much and why we have such a
poor return on this investment. A “MUST READ” is Dr Pam Poppers
book that explains what has happened in other states where the WDA was
successful in monopolizing access to nutritional information.
We need your help if we are to succeed, so will you please join us? It
will be good for your Health!! http://wihfc.
com/donate. htm Or
call Syncha 954
905 9058 or Dave at 715
687 4251
_______________________________________________________________
updated
4/2007
On April 30, 2007 the FDA will close the public comment period on a "Guidance" which will classify every alternative practice as medicine so that only licensed physicians can carry out the procedure AND vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc., will suddenly become "untested drugs" which will be forbidden.
The only thing that can stop these oppressive regulations is public outcry.
Spread the word! Tell everyone in your Circle of Influence, professionals, alternative practitioners, nutrient and herb companies, everyone! Let them know how important their participation is to make sure the FDA backs off from this repressive course.
Please read this link and take immediate action by commenting on the FDA's
proposed guidelines as well as writing your legislatures:
http://tinyurl.com/2u7ghc
This information was provided by:
Rima E. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
*As of November 2008, It appears that the traditional
medicines congress has disbanded. I will post information if something
changes. I suspect the advocacy and concerns that came out the herbal
community as outlined below had an impact and shifting the direction of
this group, which was attempting to set standards for regulating
alternative health care including herbalism.
The
American Herbalists Guild along with a whole host of other organizations
calling themselves the traditional medicines congress are proposing a
regulatory model for herbs that if put into action will change the face of
Amercian Herbalism. The deadline for public comment
was originally extended
until June 30, 2006 and has again been extended to October, 2006. It was
originally extended after several of the elder women in the herbal
movement including Rosemary Gladstar, Cascade Geller Anderson and Susun
Weed; called for the March deadline to be extended. The original call for
input was not widely publicized and there were only 70 comments made. It
is imperative that those who care about herbal medicine and it's future
make comment.
The
model can be read
and
comments (the comment period has again been extended into October) can be
made at:
http://www.traditionalmedicinescongress.com/
Update
February 2007; While the American Herbalists Guild has
discontinued their involvement formally with the TMC, this group is still
active and preparing legislation that would regulate the use of herbs to a
very narrow scope. Even thought the official deadline for comment is
closed please continue to share your thoughts with them on the website
listed above.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
It is not enough to comment to this body,
who are very likely to proceed with their agenda and ignore comments. To
get more information and get involved visit the link below:
A group of herbalists and
others concerned about this issue have recently formed Voices for
Traditional Medicine: They have created an informative website and
are organizing to stop the Traditional Medicines Congress TMC from
continuing their efforts. You can learn more about these issues as well as what you can do
by visiting:
www.traditionalmedicines.info
______________________________________________________
A forum and letters that clarify concerns about this
proposed model can be read at:
http://www.wisewomantradition.com/talkingstick/2006/02/2_no_to_all_lic.html
http://www.susunweed.com/weedforum/viewtopic.php?t=12115&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
http://www.wisewomantradition.com/empoweringwomen/
Herbalist Michael Moore has posted his comments at the following link: www.swsbm.com/homepage/TMC.html
http://wisewomanhealingways.com/
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Greetings.
Let me start out by saying that in an ideal world
I do not support legislating health care, yet as an herbalist I know that
there are things happening legislatively that can impact my work. So I have
decided to offer this page for those of you who would also like to stay
aware of what is happening. My feeling is knowledge is power, if we do not
pay attention these things will happen and we will be stunned and surprised
when and/if they arrive on our front step. If we know what is happening we
can then choose to act or not. Read on and make your own choices.
This page is in part inspired by a conversation I
had with California herbalist, Adam Seller. Adam runs The Pacific School of
Herbal Medicine in California, where in September of 2002 the state passed
one of the most progressive Freedom of Health Care Acts in the Country. This
bill was modeled after a bill that previously passed in Minnesota.
Adam shared with me what the California bill means
to him as an herbalist which is protection to offer his skills as an
herbalist without the worry of being sued for practicing medicine without a
license. He further described that this offers freedom from this worry of
indigenous healers who offer traditional healing modalities in their
communities. In states where Freedom of Health Care Acts have not been
passed practitioners without a license are subject to scrutiny and can
easily be legally prosecuted for "practicing medicine without a license".
This is important news for herbalists and other "alternative" health care
providers across the country.
Few herbalists and others that I meet know much
about the legal issues that could impact their choice to offer skills as an
herbalist or pursue services from an herbalist in the current climate.
Currently there is not a standard for licensure
for herbalists. I personally am not in favor of licensure as this would
again eliminate public access to many amazing healers and practitioners.
What most of the freedom of health care bills do are to provide consumers
with information to make their own choices. Most of the passed and proposed
bills require that the practitioner share his/her training with those
seeking services and state whether or not he/she is a licensed
practitioner. Consumers can make their own choices from there.
By offering you this information I hope that you
will have a foundation to stay aware of issues that concern you and that you
consider putting energy in a direction that feels right for you.
Below is an excerpt (that seems most relevant to
those of you in Washington State) from an article that can be viewed in it's
entirely at
http://www.edgenews.com/issues/2004/07/miller.html
For those of you in Wisconsin there is a citizen action
group that has prepared a bill and is in the process of lobbying for
legislative support. You can view the website and find out how to get
involved http://www.wihfc.com/
Independent State Health Freedom
Groups Take Action!
by Diane Miller and Jerri Johnson
The health freedom movement is growing logarithmically! A very
impressive and successful arm of the movement is the effort to free up
consumer access to the many kinds of healers and health care practitioners
who offer complementary or alternative care. This is being accomplished by
independent health freedom groups around the country that are creating new
laws. These laws recognize and protect the fundamental rights of consumers
to be in charge of their own health choices and bring practitioner rights
back into the public domain.
Washington: HB2355 would exempt unlicensed practitioners from
criminal charges of unlicensed practice of the licensed health professions
in Washington if they practice within certain parameters and comply with
certain disclosures. The bill is modeled in part on California's 2002 SB 577
and in part on new language. Latest word is that the committee chair did not
put this bill on for hearing. Advocates are continuing to plan for the next
session.
More details at: (541) 504-7562 or e-mail drkline@pacifichealthcenter.com
http://www.edgenews.com/issues/2004/07/miller.html
The status of Washington State HB2355 (HB stands for house bill) is that
it died last year and the sponsor does not plan to resubmit it. It is likely
another bill and another sponsor will appear at some time. I will update
this information as i become aware of it or would welcome input from anyone
else who knows the status.
Below are additional links that will be of interest to you if you would
like to pursue this topic further!
National Health Freedom
Coalition
California Health
Freedom Coalition
Florida
Health Freedom Initiative
Georgia Complementary and Alternative
Medicine Association
Missouri Citizens Coalition for Freedom in Health Care
New Jersey Natural Health Coalition
New York Natural Health
Project
Oklahoma Health Freedom
Network
Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
Citizens' Council on
Health Care
Coalition for Natural Health
Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome (DAMS)
Institute for Health Freedom
Minnesota Homeopathic Association
Monica Miller's Health Lobby
National
Vaccine Information Center
Natural
Health Village Town Hall
The other issue that is
important for herbalists to keep an eye on is the status of the
Dietery Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)
Below is from the website of The
National Nutritional Foods Association, They have update to date
information on current legislation impacting the Herbal as well as Natural
food and supplement industry. You can view their website at http://www.nnfa.org/aboutnnfa/
*my personal note is that while I choose
to incorporate herbs into my life in whole form I am aware that if
capsules and the like are highly regulated so will whole herbs. For
example is it illegal in New Zealand for herbalists to utilize comfrey in
their practice, and as an herbalist I wish to retain the right to utilize
the proper herb for the right situation. So for the moment I support the
maintenance of DSHEA as it stands.
We need your help to defend one of our
most basic health freedoms! Congress is about to roll back your
right to access safe, affordable and effective dietary supplements while
claiming to protect your health.
In the last Congress, bills in both the House and Senate were introduced
that would dramatically have changed the current law governing dietary
supplements, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). We
fully expect that opponents of DSHEA will introduce legislation again
during the 109th Congress that is every bit as onerous.
Keep the phrase “affordable supplements” from becoming obsolete.
Although the safety record for dietary supplements far surpasses all drug
products and many conventional foods, Congress still wants to impose
standards that in some cases exceed those for over-the-counter and
prescription drugs. This translates into higher costs for the consumer.
If it's not broken, it doesn't need to be fixed. The law
governing supplements, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act,
clearly gives the Food and Drug Administration all the authority it needs
to police the marketplace and keep bad products from being sold. But
because the Food and Drug Administration has failed to fully uphold the
law, Congress is looking to make changes that will undermine your freedom
of choice.
Don't let the government limit your freedom of choice. By
questioning the safety of any dietary supplement that receives even one
complaint, hundreds of products that have been safely and beneficially
used could be removed from the marketplace. Under this new legislation,
the FDA has complete discretion to make this determination, regardless of
whether the product was used under conditions cautioned against by the
manufacturer on the label. The result: fewer choices for consumers.
NNFA believes that DSHEA is a good law that strikes a balance between
providing consumers with safe access to dietary supplements and protecting
them from misleading or dangerous products. Please email your senators and
representative and ask them not to tamper with this important law. The
ability of the American pubic to make informed decisions about maintaining
their own good health must not be undermined. Tell Congress not to
dismantle DSHEA.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
A note about the
American Herbalist Guild and the status of herbal licensure:
Again currently there is not licensure for the
herbalists in the United States. One thing that is worth being aware of is
that The American Herbalists Guild is currently in the process of creating
an exam that they hope will set a standard of "excellence" for clinical
herbalists. While the AHG states they do not support licensing of
herbalists, most professional organizations that offer such exams are
eventually approached by states in order to have their exam serve as a
standard for state licensure. I am concerned that the AGH by moving in
the direction of creating an examination process may be moving closer to
supporting a licensing process as well as a monoculture of herbal
providers. As a "professional" organization the AHG has testified in
Washington DC and acts as a voice for herbalists, whatever your
perspective on the actions of this organization it is worth knowing what
they are doing and saying. And it is worth noting that the AHG is focused
on trying to create herbalism as a distinct modality of medical
practice in
a climate that is licensure and credentialing oriented. By offering you
this information I hope that you will have a foundation to stay aware of
issues that concern you and that you consider putting energy in a
direction that feels right for you.
Here are Some Arguments
Against the Standardization of Herbalists
By Stephen Harrod Buhner
http://www.gaianstudies.org/articles.htm
More on licensing herbalists by Susun Weed
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/Weed_letter_October02.htm#article
I hope this information is useful to you on your journey!!
Blessings
Linda Conroy, Wise Woman Herbalist
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