EU vitamin wars and cancer conversation
The anti-natural health lobby is spawning new techniques to try to bash public interest in natural health deep into the ground. One of its new favourites is the use of advertising standards policed by advertising industry self-regulators. Put ‘Craig Hudson MD National Post’ into Google and you’ll find out how one doctor in Canada, in this case a psychiatrist with something genuinely useful to offer his patients that doesn’t include the acronym SSRI, is being dealt with for developing a product that produces melatonin that helps people sleep. Lack of quality sleep is a big problem in society – a white elephant that is being pushed under the carpet. But it seems if it’s not a drug, and if you’ve got influence, in this case because you’re a doctor, you get lambasted. By using manufactured condemnation to attack the credibility of an influential individual, you’ve got a good chance of destroying the credibility of any associated product associated with that person – at least in the eyes of the less-informed public. Call it the ‘Wakefield effect’ if you like.
Not many weeks elapse when we’re so busy dealing with similar complaints from advertising authorities in Europe, or medicines regulators who are attempting to pull natural health products off the shelves because of theoretical risks to health based on massively precautionary science. That’s why it’s been a particularly intense week – and you’ll understand that those involved don’t want to be named.
We also spoke at two fascinating and important conferences in London this week – one for the integrated medicine cancer charity, Yes to Life, the other for elite athletes and their coaches, a conference in Wembley, organised by Rising Health.
To help get the word out, please read and share our two articles and news update widely.
In health, naturally
Rob Verkerk, PhD
Founder, executive & scientific director