ANH PRESS RELEASE: Why most vitamins won’t be banned

PRESS RELEASE

Alliance for Natural Health

15 July 2005

ECJ RULING SECURES FUTURE FOR VITAMINS AND MINERALS

WHY THE ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH MAINTAINS THAT THE EUROPEAN COURT RULING ON THE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS DIRECTIVE IS A VICTORY

After further detailed analysis of the ECJ judgment with its expert EU barrister Paul Lasok QC, ANH anticipates that following the ECJ verdict:

o The vast majority of vitamin and mineral food supplements will not be banned on 1 August

o The Directive now does not apply to natural forms of vitamins and minerals normally found in the diet

o Where it is necessary to be on the positive list, gaining admission will now be a much simpler, less time consuming and more affordable process than was previously the case

o The burden of proof for showing an ingredient to be unsafe will now lie with the regulator and not the manufacturer

This successful outcome is, effectively, what ANH has been working towards for over three years.

The initial media reaction on Wednesday to the judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the Food Supplements Directive (FSD) was one of disappointment. Yet the Alliance for Natural Health hailed it as a victory. ANH