HEALTH FREEDOM NEWSA Publication of National Health Freedom Coalition Fall 2005

Effective August 15, 2005, a new law will gointo effect in Louisiana exempting ven-dors of food, dietary supplements, and

homeopathic remedies, who charge a consultingfee to their clients, from criminal charges ofpracticing medicine without a license. Theexemption is limited to those practitioners whodisclose certain information listed in the newlaw in writing, to their customers or clients. Thenew law protects consumer access to unlicensedhealth care practitioners and does not apply toconventional licensed healthcare provider nordoes it impact those who are restricting theiractivities to lawfully marketing, selling, or dis-tributing products, or educating consumersabout such products, or explaining the use ofsuch products.

Louisiana Health Freedom Coalition andSenator Sharon W. Broome were the forcesbehind the introduction and passage of the billfor health freedom. Governor Kathleen BabineaxBlanco plans to sign the bill in the midst of alarge gathering of health freedom advocates onJuly 28th, 2005.

For the past year Louisiana Health FreedomCoalition along with many other local organiza-tions worked on a legislative task force exploringthe feasibility of licensure for certain types ofnaturopathic practitioners. The task force did notrecommend licensure but the discussions of thetask force were very helpful in creating the founda-tional understanding of a health freedom bill.After

Codex – Do We Need to Worry? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Highlights from Codex Meeting in Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7NHFC 2005 National Conference for Health Freedom Advocates . . . . .5European Court Ruling: The Perfect Compromise? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82004 Health Freedom Conference Made History! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Mercury in Vaccines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Louisiana Health Freedom Victory:SB 189 is Signed Into

Law by Governor Blanco

IndependentState Health

Freedom GroupsTake Action!

the task force quit meeting the Louisiana HealthFreedom Coalition promoted the introduction ofan exemption style health freedom bill followingthe lead of other states that have passed healthfreedom legislation. Louisiana is now the sixthstate to exempt unlicensed health care practition-ers from criminal charges and protecting con-sumer access to these practitioners. Minnesota,Rhode Island, California, Idaho and Oklahoma areother states that have these exemptions.

A special thank you from all of us to all theLouisiana Health Freedom Coalition memberswho worked so hard in support of Senate Bill189. We salute you.n

Health freedom is in squarely in the lime-light of public debate. Conversations thatwere strongly resisted or unthinkable last

year are successfully making their way into actionalerts and changes in the laws.Arenas of movementinclude: efforts on state levels to free up consumeraccess to healers and health care practitioners thatoffer complementary or alternative care; efforts todefeat monopolistic practitioner bills, to pass mer-cury free vaccine legislation, to defeat GMO prolif-eration, to stop mandatory mental health screeningand to resist “best practice” legislation impactingfreedom of speech between doctor and patient. Ona national level efforts are to defeat bills that attackthe integrity of the Dietary Supplement Health andEducation Act (DSHEA). And on an internationallevel advocates are working to resist global guide-lines, agreements, and policies that jeopardize ourfreedom of access ensured in our DietarySupplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)and which promote a global precedent that dietarysupplements are harmful and in need of pre-approved maximum upper limits before beingtraded between countries.

Consumers are absolutely demanding that theyhave access to any individual, products or servicesthat they want and any information they desirewhen they are making health care choices. Thehealth freedom progress is being accomplished byhard working independent state and national healthfreedom groups around the country working to pro-tect consumers health freedoms.Below you will finda summary of some of the independent state groupsNHFC and NHFA have assisted in their work.

Arkansas: Senate Bill 976 was filed in the2005 Legislative Session and placed on the agen-da for the Senate Public Health, Welfare andLabor Committee. Testimony before the

Louisiana Health Freedom Coalition leaders Sandra

Bertoniere, Diane Miller of NHFC, Cynthia Reed, and

Debbie Broussard

Insi

de

2

Committee was well received; however, the billhas not progressed further. Arkansas says thatthey are pleased with their successes and arepreparing for the next session in 2007.

Florida: Florida Health Freedom Actionworked hard this year to provide protective healthfreedom amendments to a restrictive naturopath-ic licensing bill but the licensing bill did not pass.The bill's language defined naturopathy to includevirtually all natural health therapies, and wouldhave made it a crime to practice naturopathy with-out a license. FHFA supports the concept of free-dom to access all natural health care practitioners,including licensed persons. However, it opposesjeopardizing homeopaths, traditional natur-opaths, herbalists, and other practitioners of lowand no-risk natural health therapies, and prevent-ing their clients from consulting with them. FHFAwill continue to oppose professional licensure billswhich would give licensed practitioners a monop-oly on gentle health therapies while criminalizingunlicensed practitioners who do not attempt topose as licensed persons.

Georgia: CAMA Complementary andAlternative Medical Association of Georgia has

been a leader in the country in educating thepublic about complementary and alternativeforms of healing, holding statewide and regionalconferences. House Bill 680 has been introducedthis 2005 session and is entitled the "StatePlanning For Increased Community Access Act".Marge Roberts, CAMA President, continues toeducate, and gave a great presentation on “How toImplement a Strong Lobbying Force at theCapitol” in November 2004, at the second annualHealth Freedom Conference in Minnesota

Iowa: Iowa Health Freedom Coalition sup-ported the introduction of SF291 Spring 2005, afreedom of access bill designed to protect con-sumer access to all unlicensed health care practi-tioners and to require certain disclosures. The billwas held over to give interested health care profes-sionals and consumers in their local communities,an opportunity to participate in a process called“Framing” which was meant to help people dis-cuss their views of complementary and alternativehealth care issues. IHFC is now gearing up to edu-cate Iowans during the summer and fall abouttheir bill and to prepare for an exciting and intensetime moving it through the legislature next ses-

National HealthFreedom Coalition

THE VISION:A healthy nation, with

empowered people, makinginformed health care decisions.

The Mission:To promote access to all health careinformation, services, treatments andproducts that the people deem benefi-cial for their own health and survival;to promote an understanding of thelaws and factors impacting the rightto access; and to promote the health

of the people of this nation.

Board of DirectorsLEO CASHMAN

Educator, Activist, WriterJERRI JOHNSON, BSN

HomeopathDIANE MILLER, JD

Attorney, Writer, ActivistLINDA PETERSON

Wellness EducatorWILLIAM LEE RAND

Reiki teacher, Author, PublisherC. NORMAN SHEALY, MD, PHD,

Founder, American Holistic Med. Assoc.

NHFC is a 501©3 educational nonprofit organization

PMD 218, 2136 Ford ParkwaySt. Paul, MN 55116-1863

www.nationalhealthfreedom.comemail: similars@aol.comPhone: 651-690-0732

STATE CONTACT BILLSArkansas Arkansas Health Freedom Coalition (ARHFC); Phone: 479-637-4361 SB 976 (Altes)

or 479-637-4441; Email: arhfc@lycos.com; www.arhfc.orgFlorida Florida Health Freedom Coalition & Action FHFC & FHFA Phone: 2004 introduced

305-668-2800; www.floridahealthfreedom.org; info@floridahealthfreedom.orgGeorgia Complementary and Alternative Medical Assoc. CAMAction and CAMA HB 680 (Smith)

Phone: 404-284-7592; Websites: www.CAMAction.org andwww.camaweb.org; Email: cama@mindspring.com

Hawaii Representative Cynthia Evans; Phone: 808-586-8510; 2003 introducedE-mail: repevans@Capitol.Hawaii.gov; www.capitol.Hawaii.gov/site1/house

Iowa Iowa Health Freedom Coalition (IHFC); Phone: 319-269-6343 SF 291 (Hatch)E-mail: ljhanz@yahoo.com; Website: http://www.iowahealthfreedom.org

Kentucky Representative Mary Harper; http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/House/hseadd.htm 2003 introducedLouisiana Louisiana Health Freedom Coalition (LHFC); Phone 225-761-9117; SB 189 (Broome)

E-mail: lhfc@lahfc.org www.lahfc.org PASSED INTO LAWNew York HFNY - Health Freedom New York; http://www.healthfreedomny.orgNew York NYNCPP - New York Natural and Complementary Practices Project; A4404B S3334A

Newyorknaturalhealthproject.org; nynhp@earthlink.netNorth Carolina North Carolina health freedom federation: CHF (Citizens for Health Freedom); HB 1303 (Luebke)

CHF-NC Fund; CNHP (Certified Nutritional Health Professionals); CNH (Coalition for Natural Health); SHFF (Sunshine Health Freedom Fund);E-mail: chf@nc.rr.com www.citizensforhealthcarefreedom.com;Phone: 919-266-6155

Ohio The Health Freedom Coalition of Ohio (HFCO); HB 117 ReidelbachE-mail: info@ohiohealthfreedom.org; www.ohiohealthfreedom.org; SB 98 ClancyPhone 614-306-3477

Washington Contact Info from NHFA upon request 2004 introduced

States that have introduced health freedom bills in the past or are supporting bills currently moving:

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3

sion. Their second annual Health Freedom Expowill be held in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Saturday, October15, 2005. IHFC has a great website, a 15 minutevideo of Berkley Bedell supporting their bills, anda colorful and informative power point presenta-tion that they developed themselves to educate thepublic regarding the need for health freedom.

New York : HFNY - Health Freedom New Yorkis a new health freedom organization in New York,working to promote health freedom. They areinterested in passing legislation that would pro-tect consumer freedom of access to unlicensedpractitioners; however they have not been sup-portive of mandatory registration for unlicensednatural health care practitioners. Since the regis-tration bill in New York has been amended andthe registration component has been deleted,HFNY is evaluating the newly amended bill and isin communication with the proponents with theirrecommendations regarding the new language.

New York: NYNCPP - New York Natural andComplementary Practices Project has worked forhealth freedom for over five years and has recent-ly adopted significant amendments to their 2004and 2005 bill which had originally mandated theregistration of all unlicensed health care

providers with the secretary of state of New York.The amendments have taken out the mandatoryregistration component from the bill and thischange has opened up the potential for a unifiedhealth freedom movement in New York and newdialogue between health freedom advocates whowere in conflict over the registration bill.

North Carolina: April 2005 North CarolinaRepresentative Paul Luebke introduce HF 1303 toprotect access to health care practitioners such ashomeopaths, herbalists, naturopaths and manynatural health practitioners. A hearing was heldin the Health Committee on May 24th and therewas much good discussion and interest amongcommittee members for the bill. In a subsequentmeeting the bill was assigned to a special sub-committee. North Carolina has a strong federa-tion of health freedom groups and they are work-ing hard to prepare for the subcommittee hear-ing, mobilizing the grassroots to let their legisla-tors know what they want. North Carolina leadersare very optimistic. They have hired a lobbyistand need financial support from all supporters.

Ohio: Ohio Consumer Health Freedom Bill,House Bill 117 and Senate Bill 98, is currently inCommittee in the Ohio Statehouse.Testimony began

April 5th in the Commerce and Labor Committee ofthe Ohio House of Representatives, and severalhearings have been held since. Daryl Kulak,President of the HFCO says “These practitionershave been helping hundreds of thousands ofOhioans every year,and yet they must operate undera cloak of fear, because the medical boards couldshut them down any minute.It’s necessary to give allOhioans a choice in their healthcare and keep gov-ernment out of the business of restricting healthcarechoices.” Ohio is working hard for health freedomand welcome support from Ohio advocates.

The following states have significant lead-ers and contacts ready to start health freedomgroups: Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri,Mississippi, Montana, Pennsylvania, Utah, andVermont.Call NHFC for contact information.If youare from a state not yet organized, and want to net-work with other individuals interested in healthfreedom, contact us, giving us permission to giveout your name to others who contact us.

The following states have health freedomlaws: California, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma,Rhode Island, and now Louisiana.n

Copyrights reserved NHFA 2005

STATES NAME OR TYPE OF GROUP CONTACT INFORMATIONColorado Colorado Citizens for Health Freedom Phone: 719-231-5715;

Email: advancedtherapy@hotmail.comKansas Kansans for Health Freedom 866-899-7905; herbalsurvival@terraworld.net

and herbsforhealth@4state.comMassachusetts Health Freedom Action Massachusetts, Inc www.healthfreedommassachusetts.org;

(HFAM) Email: freedom@healthfreedommassachusetts.org;617-524-2223

Michigan Michigan Natural Health Coalition Phone: 989-779-0730;www.mnhc.info/mnhc_001.htm mnhcinfo@yahoo.com

Nevada Nevada health freedom advocates Contact info from NHFA upon requestNew Hampshire New Hampshire Citizens for Health Phone: 603-355-2202: E-mail: gbedding @verizon.net;

www.nhhealthfreedom.orgNew Jersey New Jersey Natural Health Coalition Email: membership@njnhc.org; web: www.njnhc.orgNew Mexico New Mexico citizen group Contact info from NHFA upon requestTexas TFHSC (Texas Health Freedom Steering gretchenbfrp@yahoo.com, texascam@earthlink.net

Committee): TCAM -Texas Complementary www.tcam.organd Alternative Medical Association; CNHP –Certified Nutritional Healthcare Professionals; and SHFF- Sunshine Health Freedom Fund

Utah Utah Group now forming Contact info from NHFA upon requestVirginia Virginia Chapter of the CNHP Certified Email: theherbbasket@erols.com; Phone: 804-862-2771

Natural Health ProfessionalsWisconsin Wisconsin Health Freedom Coalition Email: info@wihfc.com; website:www.wifhc.com

Below are the State Organizations in a variety of developmental stages of health freedom workfrom beginning to develop effective teams, to research and drafting language, to mobilizing thegrass roots, setting priorities, to hiring lobbyist and gaining sponsorship.

2005 National Health Freedom Coalition's 3rd AnnualNational Conference for

Health Freedom AdvocatesEmpowering Leaders for Health Freedom

October 28–30, 2005, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Keynote Speakers:DR. CA R O LY N DE A N, MD, ND

President of Friends of Freedom InternationalDoctor, educator, radio host

Author of Death by Modern Medicine

DA N I E L HA L E Y

Former New York State AssemblymanAuthor of Politics In Healing

DI A N E MI L L E R , JDDirector of Legal and Public PolicyNational Health Freedom Coalition

Plus: How to Pass Health Freedom Laws in Your State,Global Health Freedom Assembly with National and

International Leaders on Codex and DSHEAJim Turner, David Hinde, Rob Verkirk,

Scott Tipps, James Gormley, Clinton Miller, Tim Bolen, Trueman Tuck, Suzanne Harris

for more information email jerrijohn@aol.com or call 651 688 6515

4

Many people are contacting NHFC, ask-ing why Americans should be worriedabout the new Codex Vitamin and

Mineral Guidelines adopted in Rome on July 4th.Amazingly, the impression some nutritionalspokespersons are giving to the public is thatthere is nothing to worry about in the U.S.

Product companies are being reassured that:“American consumers still have full access…”;“consumer access to dietary supplements in the USis not in danger…”; and “The adoption of finalCodex Supplement Guidelines…does not threatenthe freedom to access dietary supplements andinformation about supplements that are guaran-teed in the US…”

NHFC encourages health freedom advocatesto look at the situation from the perspective ofthe global community and as members of achanging world. The above comments, althoughpotentially technically true for now, could mis-represent the gravity of the danger we are nowfacing regarding the preservation of our domes-tic laws, including our supplement laws. Like aperson huddling in the basement during a torna-do thinking they are safe, when they emerge theymay find complete devastation. If the globalcommunity continues to attempt to restrictaccess to dietary supplements by setting maxi-mum upper limits and mandatory risk assess-ments like drugs, then we are realistically locatedin the eye of a devastating storm and the reassur-ances that we are safe are unrealistic.

The world is moving towards a global econ-omy. Well-intentioned people, and some maybenot so well intentioned, are at global tablesmaking agreements that impact many internaldomestic laws. They are not only making agree-ments that countries could eventually adoptinto law, but they are setting global policies andattitudes that will impact decisions of thefuture.

For example: The US is one of 179 countriesparticipating in Codex. The US is the only coun-try with a Dietary Supplement Act. In completeopposition to principles of DSHEA, which makeit clear that vitamins and minerals are foods andare generally regarded as safe, the global com-munity has now adopted a policy that viewsvitamins and minerals as dangerous, requiringmaximum upper limits after a risk assessment.This very fundamental policy will now ripple

CODEX—Do We Need to Worry?by Diane M. Miller JD

out globally to many contexts and documents,and will set a precedent for how vitamins andminerals are represented to consumers world-wide. As a result, consumers around the worldwill not have access to the dosage of vitaminsand minerals that are available in the US, neitherwill they be educated by their own trusted coun-try regarding the benefits of nutritional supple-ments. Instead, countries themselves will pro-mote education and policies that regard vita-mins and minerals as dangerous. And newmember countries that do not already have lawsregulating vitamins and minerals even as wespeak are being encouraged by Codex membersto use the Codex Vitamin and Mineral guide-lines as the template for creating laws for theirown countries.

In addition to global bodies such as UnitedNations (UN), World Food and AgriculturalOrganization (FAO), World Health Organization(WHO), and Codex, there are global trade agree-ments such as WTO, CAFTA, and NAFTA whichcome into play regarding products and trade.Trade agreements are important because insidetheir agreements they refer to international stan-dards and guidelines such as Codex as the prop-er guidelines that their member countries mustuse when shipping products. Trade agreementsare enforced by special committees to encouragecompliance or by dispute resolution bodies tolevy sanctions on countries.

Most trade agreements have gone beyondsimple schedules for reducing tariffs and dutieson products and have developed into policy-set-ting agreements of how countries should all getalong regarding money matters. Setting policiesis a powerful springboard for moving agendasthrough bureaucracies. For example, one mainpolicy goal of the WTO is the harmonization oftrade practices encouraging countries to useinternational standards whenever possible toavoid discrimination and competition issues.The policy of harmonization has infiltratedmany aspects of world trade. One wonders whatthese agreements would look like if their under-lying public policy were to promote diversity andprotect sovereignty instead of to harmonize theworld trade.

Whether our membership and adoption ofWTO, CAFTA, and NAFTA, will play out in amanner that challenges our DSHEA law is yet to

be seen. Some critics of Codex and world tradeagreements point out that DSHEA might be chal-lenged by an importing country as an unfair lawthat poses a “technical barrier to trade”because itposes unfair competition to countries thatimport their low-dosage Codex products to us.Others warn that international guidelines willprovide political fuel in Washington to force arevision and watering down of DSHEA to a morerestrictive law that is more in line with the glob-al trade community.

Whatever the future, we cannot afford to viewthe situation from a purely domestic nationalperspective. International law and public policyimpacts our daily lives and the future of ourhome planet. It is being adopted by individualcountries more each year.

Many people are worried about “globaliza-tion” because they believe we will lose sovereign-ty and our historical diversity. Some people wantto disband global bodies such as the UnitedNations and Codex. Others want to rescind agree-ments such as World Trade Organization, NAFTAand others. These are all important questions toask ourselves.

While these bodies exist, health advocatesneed to be at the table in an effective and profes-sional manner and at all levels, including the verybeginning development stages of each publicpolicy so as to impact the discussion on behalf ofthe people. It is often too late to stop the machineof huge international meetings and assemblies ifwe have not been all along building the relation-ships we need to preserve our domestic diversityand freedoms.

Right now, and immediately, we need to makea plan to make sure we are represented at inter-national tables that set public policy and laws. Ifwe don’t we will live under whatever developsregionally and internationally without us.

Should Americans be concerned that a globalbody of scientists will decide maximum upperlimits of vitamins and minerals for productsbeing shipped overseas? I would say if one werecommitted to health freedom, consumer maxi-mum options, and consumer health, then defi-nitely “YES”. Individuals and corporations thathave these values and insight are committing sig-nificant resources to promote the adoption ofAmerican DSHEA philosophy and conceptsthroughout the world.n

Please join us at the upcoming NationalConference for Health Freedom Advocates,Oct 28 – 30 in Minneapolis, MN.

Hear keynote speaker Dan Haley, author ofPolitics in Healing, tell of pioneering healing ther-apies and the political actions that have prevent-ed their knowledge from being experienced bythe public. Listen to keynote speaker Dr. CarolynDean, MD, ND, the author of Death by ModernMedicine speak to the silencing of the people.Participate in the annual awards banquet honor-ing outstanding health freedom leaders, and seeKevin Miller’s groundbreaking new documen-tary film on Codex,“We Become Silent.”

The focus of this year’s conference is “leader-ship”and keynote Diane Miller, JD, NHFC Directorof Legal and Public Policy, who attended theCodex meeting in Rome, will speak on, “Leaders

NHFC’s 3rd Annual National Conference for Health Freedom Advocates, 2005!

A Solidarity Summit!Becoming Leaders, Teams Becoming Teams”.

Workshops will include experienced stateactivists teaching about how to pass health free-dom legislation in your state and how to buildalliances to strengthen the movement.

Individual presentations will be made byleaders attending the conference including: attor-ney James Turner addressing the protection ofDSHEA and promotion of DSHEA world-wide;Dr. Robert Verkirk and Solicitor David Hinde, ofLondon describing the impact of the crucial chal-lenge to the European Union Food SupplementDirective; presentations by Scott Tips, Counsel forNational Health Federation; James Gormley ofNutrition 21; Clinton Miller, Sunshine HealthFreedom Fund: Trueman Tuck, Friends ofFreedom International; Tim Bolen, Jurimed,Suzanne Harris and more to be announced.

The last day of the conference will include “AGlobal Health Freedom Assembly - A SolidaritySummit”. State, National, and International non-profit organizations that primarily focus on pro-moting health freedom are invited to sit in aSummit Round, with one delegate representingtheir organization. Participants in the Round willeach be given an opportunity to introduce theirorganization, share their mission statements, theircontributions to the health freedom movement,their upcoming goals, and a statement of solidarity.

Don’t miss this opportunity to watch historyunfold as the health freedom movement unites andmoves forward.The health freedom movement hasmany leaders,many facets,many voices.We plan tostand together to make a difference!

For more information, call Jerri Johnson, 651688 6515.n

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Registration – NHFC 3rd National Conference for Health Freedom AdvocatesOctober 28 – 30, 2005, Sheraton Hotel, Bloomington, MN

To register, go to www.nationalhealthfreedom.org to register online – or print this form and mail with payment to the NHFC office.

Last Name, First Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Organization: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________City: ______________________________ State: ________ ZIP: __________

Phone:________________________________________Email (For confirmation):_________________________________________

MEMBER* NON-MEMBER PriceUS$FULL TUITION (Does not include meals) $230 $280 _______*Member - If you are not currently a member of the NHFC, or your membership is expiring, you can renew your membership or becomea first-time member now with yearly dues of $35.00 and then receive the member rate for the 2005 conference, and member benefits,including our newsletter. Yes______I would like to become an NHFC member $35/yr _______

TOTAL (US $) _______Tuition includes program tuition Oct 28 – 30, snacks, and Saturday Health Freedom Awards Banquet. If you are unable to attend the fullconference, contact Karen Willcox, 952 476 8617, or Jerri Johnson, 651 688 6515, for special arrangements.

q Check enclosed (Make checks payable to NHFC)

q Or Credit Card ___Visa ___MasterCard ___American Express

Card #_______________________________________________ Exp Date ____/____ Three-digit code back of card______________

Print name as it appears on card: _________________________________________________________________________________Mail registration to: National Health Freedom Coalition, PMB 218 2136 Ford Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55116-1863 • fax 651 699 8306

National Health Freedom Action Board isexcited to have Jerri Johnson on staff as

a new part-time Public Relations andFundraising Coordinator. Jerri has donatedmany hours of volunteer work to NHFA andhad been involved since its inception. Shewill coordinate communications such as thenewsletter and website, as well as overseeNHFA fundraising activities. Jerri is a home-path with a practice in St. Paul, Minnesota, atthe Crescenterra Health Center.

Introducing NHFC’s new part-time officeadministrator, Karen Willcox! We are

delighted to have Karen on board - she pro-vides us with adminstrative support,databasemanagement, and oversees member services.Karen is married and has two children andalso works part time for Minnetonka Schoolsas a special education paraprofessional.Karenhas been interested in alternative health carefor many years, and is excited to be a part ofthe changing face of health care in America.

6

Newsflash!

Support the Health Freedom Work of NHFC!With your financial support, the National Health Freedom Coalition can educate health freedom leaders nationwide, and work to create solid solutionsthat ensure your access to all of the healing arts. Together, we can protect your right to investigate every possible health choice when you are makingdecisions about your health.

Become a Health Freedom Champion! — Join the 1000 Health Freedom Champions CampaignNHFC is looking for 1000 Health Freedom Champions who will commit to donating $250 or more per year to support the work of NHFC. To become aHealth Freedom Champion, send your gift of $250 today! You will receive our newsletter, Health Freedom News. If you wish, a portion of your dona-tion can include a one-year membership in NHFC.

Become a Member of NHFC!Please join the growing number of citizens who support health freedom by becoming members of NHFC. Your membership gift of $35 or more enti-tles you to receive our newsletter, Health Freedom News. Complete the following form and join us today!

q I WISH TO BECOME A HEALTH FREEDOM CHAMPION. You’ll find enclosed my gift of $250

q I WOULD LIKE A PORTION OF THIS GIFT TO INCLUDE a one-year membership in NHFC

q I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF NHFC with my enclosed gift of $35.

q ADDITIONAL DONATION OF $_________

q I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE HEALTH FREEDOM CONFERENCE

Name: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Title____________________________________________ Organization/Firm____________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________City: ______________________________ State: ________ ZIP: __________

Phone:_____________________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________________________

Email: ___________________________________________ Website: ___________________________________________________

q I wish to pay by check (Payable to NHFC, mail to PMB 218, 2136 Ford Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55116-1863)

q I wish to pay by credit card (Visa, Master Card, Am Ex) Card Number __________________________________Exp. Date _______

NHFC is a 501©3 non-profit educational organization. Your contributions may be tax-deductible for charitable giving purposes.National Health Freedom Coalition, PMB 218, 2136 Ford Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55116-1863

Phone (651)690-0732 website: www.nationalhealthfreedom.org

7

Diane Miller, Legal and Public PolicyDirector for National Health FreedomCoalition (NHFC) and Marylu Miller

Peterson, Board Member of National HealthFreedom Action (NHFA), attended the 28th

Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commissionin Rome Italy July 4-9, 2005, along with 14other health freedom leaders from 6 countriesand 10 health freedom organizations. Millerand Peterson met with health freedom activistsand the US Delegation to Codex, and had con-versations with many delegates from aroundthe world.

Much to many health freedom activists’surprise, Codex took up the adoption ofguidelines on their agenda the very first day.The Vitamin and Mineral Draft Guidelines werereviewed and adopted almost immediately alongwith a number of other food guidelines. Here arequotes from Diane Miller’s first press release:

“Press Release - National Health FreedomCoalition: Codex Full Commission adoptsCodex Guidelines for Vitamin and MineralFood Supplements in final form July 4, 2005,Rome Italy. by Diane Miller JD

Minutes ago the full Commission of CodexAlimentarius adopted in final form, the CodexGuidelines for Vitamin and Mineral FoodSupplements. This adoption is the Step 8 adoption,the final stage of adoption for the internationalCodex guidelines. The Codex Vitamin and MineralFood Supplements guidelines are now official andno longer in draft form.

The Commission, attended by over 85 of the171 Codex countries, adopted the guidelines byconsensus method. There was brief discussionbefore adoption taking in comments from a smallnumber of countries and two NGOs.

Australia requested adding the word“only”…China stated that every government inmaking decisions about vitamins and mineralsshould take into account the dietary limitations oftheir own countries, that governments can selectvitamins and minerals according to the customsand habits of their country. China also pointed out

that there should be definitions of the sources ofvitamins. ...Columbia spoke up and commentedthat Vitamins and Minerals are intended for defi-ciencies and are recommended for health reasonsand said that there has to be no exaggerated use ofminerals…Egypt commented and offered a clari-fication saying that vitamin and minerals can beconsidered if daily needs are not being met…

National Health Federation (NHF) a world-wide consumer organization with NGO status atCodex was recognized to speak. Attorney ScottTips of NHF stood and requested the guidelines notbe adopted but rather be sent back to committeefor 3 important reasons. 1) According to Codexrules a “purpose” statement must be part of allguidelines adopted and the Vitamin and Mineralguidelines did not contain a purpose. Secondly, theguidelines did not define vitamin and mineral andtherefore it is unclear as to what is being regulated.And lastly, he pointed out that the Chinese com-ments were substantive and according to Codexrules on page 27 of the procedural manual, a sub-stantive amendment request should be addressedat the committee level….the Chair recommendedthe guidelines be adopted at Stage 8 in their finalform and that China submit their substantiveamendment requests to the committee at theirnext meeting. There was no further comment ordissent from any country and the guidelines wereadopted.”

Peter Helgason from FOFI (Friends ofFreedom International) and Diane Millerfrom NHFC wrote a second press release giv-ing readers a perspective of the change in energyand climate of health freedom in this 2005 ses-sion. Networking with the many country dele-gates in informal settings revealed that peoplearound the world are recognizing the health cri-sis of drug-based societies, and asking importantquestions about true health. Countries are begin-ning to voice questions and concerns about thehealth impact of their trade decisions. Here arequotes from the next press release:

Rome, July 5th, almost noon: Freedom IsBreaking Out in the Hearts, if not in the Minds,of member nations of the Codex AlimentariusCommission. By Peter Helgason of Friends of

Freedom International (FOFI) and Diane Miller ofFOFI and National Health Freedom Coalition(NHFC).

Despite yesterday’s set-back at Codex, healthfreedom leaders from around the world on-site inRome at the 28th Codex annual meeting are wit-nessing a change in consciousness regarding theinvaluable contribution and vital role of nutritionin the prevention and treatment of disease world-wide. According to multiple governmental nation-al member sources who wish to remain anony-mous, the agendas of the trans-national corpora-tions are becoming increasingly clear. Nations aresaying “we’re here to represent our people, not pub-licly traded companies’ corporate profits”. “We arenot interested in investing 25% GDP in treatingnutritionally deficient induced diseases, we wouldrather invest 5% GDP in maintaining healthy dietsfor our populations.”

“…Citizens of the world are urgently called tospread health freedom concepts locally in any waythat they can and work together to financially sup-port the health freedom leaders to ensure theirpresence at the table of these very significant glob-al discussions. On-site in Rome are Friends ofFreedom International (FOFI www.friendsoffree-dominternational.com), Friends of FreedomCanada (FOF www.friendsoffreedom), NationalHealth Freedom Coalition (NHFC www.national-healthfreedom.org), National Health Federation(NHF), Dr. Rath Health Foundation USA(www.drrathhealthfoundation.org), Civil HealthRights Denmark (www.mayday-info.dk), HealthSupreme (www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp), LawLoft (www.lawloft.com), Citizens for Health (CFHwww.citizens.org) and a number of other healthadvocacy organizations from around the world.”

The most prominent conclusion thatNHFC leaders drew from their observationof the events of the week are that the healthfreedom movement must obtain a presenceat all tables where policies and laws that impactconsumer options in health are being dis-cussed. The local, state, national, federal, andnow international arenas are all equally impor-tant. International law and forums are extreme-

NHFC Health Freedom Leadership Attend July Codex meeting in Rome

Continued on page 8

8

ly complex and costly to participate in.However we must find a way to participate, andprotect and promote the concept of empoweredconsumers making informed decisions. NHFCrecommends a funded team of health freedomactivists be commissioned to work at the inter-national level to promote our interests in truehealth. In addition, we recommend that thehealth freedom community itself develop itsown Assembly to promote solidarity and strat-egy. We plan to begin the concept of assemblywith our Solidarity Summit at the end of our2005 Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota October28 - 30.n

On 12 July, just three daysafter the end of theCodex Alimentarius

Commission meeting in Rome,the European Court of Justice inLuxembourg handed down itsjudgment on the Alliance forNatural Health’s legal challengeagainst the ban on 75% of formsof vitamins and minerals(mainly food forms) implicit inthe EU’s Food SupplementsDirective. Designed to har-monise trade between the 25 Member States ofEurope, while ensuring supplements were safe,the Directive was set to have devastating conse-quences on natural products consumed by 40%of the population in countries like the UK,Ireland, Holland and Sweden.

At first sight the ruling from the Courtappeared to indicate that all was lost. The chal-lenge had failed to invalidate the Directiveunder EU law which would have allowed anamended version to be agreed that was compat-ible with the law. There had been a strong likeli-hood that the 13 judges presiding over the casewould agree to invalidate the Directive, as thiswas the recommendation given three monthsearluer by the Advocate General, senior advisorto the Court

But on studying the 25 page ruling carefully,the ANH and its legal team which includes one ofEurope’s leading European and competition lawspecialists, Paul Lasok QC, it became evident thatmany of the arguments that the ANH was con-cerned about had been clarified, and the scope of

the Directive had been narrowed.The bottom line: 5,000 supple-ments that were to banned on 1August in countries like the UKon now won’t be banned…atleast for the time being.

It seems, on reflection, thatthe ruling might have been acompromise gesture on the partof the Court. It ensured that theclarification of the law avoidedconflicts with EU law which hadbeen the key bones of contention

in the case brought by the ANH. At the sametime, the European Institutions, notably theEuropean Commission, the Council of Ministersand the European Parliament, were able to avoidthe embarrassment of an overturned Directive.The perfect compromise?

And what does all this mean for the Europeanconsumer? This depends a lot on the Europeaninstitutions’ response to the ruling and their abil-ity to interpret it properly. It also depends on howaccommodating the 25 Member States of Europewill be to the principle of mutual recognition,which accepts that an approval in one countryapplies in its own country.

This legal challenge is reminiscent of thestory of David and Goliath—and one thing is forsure... now is not the time to sit back. TheEuropean model is considered by many govern-ments as the model to be applied globally, viaCodex, and it is critical that any positive shapingof the EU directives and regulations will setimportant precedents which will benefit healthfreedom worldwide.n

National HealthFreedom Action

The Mission:To promote access to all health care infor-mation, services, treatments and productsthat the people deem beneficial for theirown health and survival; to promote leg-islative reform of the laws impacting the

right to access; and to promote the healthof the people of this nation.

Board of DirectorsJERRI JOHNSON,

BSN, HomeopathMARYLU MILLER

Homeopath, TeacherCLINTON MILLER

Health Freedom AdvocateWILLIAM LEE RAND

Reiki teacher, Author, PublisherBONITA JOY YODER

Attorney, Mediator, Coach

NHFA is a 501©4 nonprofit lobbying organization.

PMD 218, 2136 Ford PkwySt. Paul, MN 55116-1863

www.nationalhealthfreedom.comemail: similars@aol.comPhone: 651-690-0732

The European Court ruling: the perfect compromise?

By Dr Robert Verkerk, Alliance for Natural Health

This legal challenge is reminiscent of the story of David andGoliath—and one thing is for sure... now is not the time to sit back.

The European model is considered by many governments as themodel to be applied globally, via Codex, and it is critical that any

positive shaping of the EU directives and regulations will set importantprecedents which will benefit health freedom worldwide.

Continued from page 7

Dr. Robert Verkerk

9

Dr. Norm Shealy, Board member of NHFC, founder

of AHMA, keynotes 2004 Conference

NHFC and NHFA Board members at 2004 Conference,

with keynote speaker Congressman Berkley Bedell and his

wife Elinor. From left: William Lee Rand, Diane Miller, Carol

Vedra, Leo Cashman, Elinor Bedell, Berkley Bedell, Jerri

Johnson, Marylu Miller, Bonita Yoder, Linda Peterson. Not

present, Board members Clinton Miller and Norm Shealy.

Health Freedom Leaders Clinton Miller, Joan Vandergriff

and Wendell Whitman. Clinton Miller, Board Member of

NHFA, is nationally recognized as one of the primary

leaders of the health freedom movement, a lobbyist, advo-

cate and mentor. Joan Vandergriff N.D., world-renowned

naturopath and educator, is Chairwoman of the Executive

Committee of Sunshine Health Freedom Foundation (SHFF)

Wendell W. Whitman M.Div., N.D., founder of Trinity

College and HealthKeepers Alliance, has hosted nation-

wide Health Freedom Expos. The next Expos will be in

Dallas, Texas, November 4-6th, , Richmond, Virginia,

December 2 – 4, and Long Beach, CA Feb 24-26th, 2006.

2004 NHFC Health Freedom Conference Made History!By Diane Miller, JD, and Jerri Johnson, CCH

Last year’s National Conference for Health Freedom Advocates, anunprecedented gathering of leaders and activists from around theworld, set the stage for health freedom work to flow and grow into 2005.

NHFC founder Diane Miller described the key ingredients of toleranceand diversity, needed for freedom to exist in any area, including health. Dr.Norm Shealy, founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, por-trayed his journey in finding new ways of healing for his patients.

Saturday’s workshops educated state leaders on legal language forhealth freedom legislation, and on how to do fundraising, grass-rootsmobilization, and lobbying.Attorney Jim Turner discussed CODEX, DSHEAand federal issues.

At the Awards Banquet, NHFC honored outstanding health freedomleaders: Norm Shealy, MD, founder of AHMA; Cong. Berkley Bedell,Founder of National Foundation for Alternative Medicine; Charles Hilton

and Julie Hilton, Florida CAM Law; Deborah Miller, ESQ./Arthur England,Florida Governor’s Proclamation; Dan Haley, author of Politics in Healing;Iowa Health Freedom Coalition, Mercury-free Vaccine Law; Monica Miller,Health Freedom Laws for Licensed Professionals; and Gilo FamilyFoundation, Health Freedom Promotors.

Congressman Berkley Bedell described his personal experience usingcolostrum from a farmer for major healing, his role in founding the federalOffice of Alternative Medicine, and the National Foundation for AlternativeMedicine, researching cancer cures from around the globe.

Attorney David Hinde of London told of the Alliance for NaturalHealth’s challenge to the European Union Food Supplements Directive.Then followed a historic gathering of eight freedom leaders from aroundthe globe at the 2004 CODEX Round Table, a prelude to unprecedentedcommunication and cooperation on global health freedom work.

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National Health Freedom CoalitionPMB 218, 2136 Ford ParkwaySt. Paul, MN 55116-1863

• Codex – Do We Need to Worry?• Highlights from Codex Meeting in Rome• NHFC 2005 National Conference for

Health Freedom Advocates• European Court Ruling: The Perfect Compromise?• 2004 Health Freedom Conference Made History!Insi

de

R E T U R N S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

Public concern about health damage fromthe mercury-based vaccine sterilizerThimerosal is increasing, despite U.S. gov-

ernment assurances that its increased use duringthe 1990s did not cause a drastic increase inautism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Iowa, California and Missouri have passedlegislation limiting vaccine mercury, and twentybills are pending. At the federal level, Rep. DaveWeldon, MD has introduced HR 881, whichrequires that by Jan 1, 2006 mercury be removedcompletely from all childhood and adolescentvaccines.

A new book, Evidence of Harm by New YorkTimes contributor David Kirby, “explores thechilling possibility that a vaccine additive may befueling an apparent epidemic of autism, ADD,

speech delay and other disorders in America’schildren.” http://www.evidenceofharm.com/

A recent NIEHS study showed that ethyl-mercury from vaccines binds to brain tissuetwo to four times more than methylmercuryfound in fish. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/mem-bers/2005/7712/7712.pdf

In February 2005 the Institute of Medicineissued a report sharply critical of the handling ofvaccine safety data by the U.S. Centers forDisease Control. Shortly thereafter a key CDCpolicymaker was reassigned, and the NationalImmunization Program was split so that thedepartment promoting vaccines would no longerbe the same one monitoring safety.

Increasing numbers of parents and physiciansare using chelation treatment to remove mercury

from the bodies of children with autistic symp-toms. Pioneering researcher Bernard Rimland ofthe Autism Research Institute has launched the“Autism Is Treatable” campaign, and his team ofDAN! doctors (Defeat Autism Now!) report drasticmental and physical improvement using chelation,nutritional supplementation and other biomedicalinterventions. http://www.autism.com/ari/

For more information on mercury-inducedautism:

http://www.generationrescue.org/http://www.unlockingautism.org/http://www.safeminds.org/http://www.nomercury.org/http://www.altcorp.com/DentalInformation/index.html n

Activists Working to Ensure Mercury-Free VaccinesBy Nancy Hokkanen