Alliance For Natural Health
New Year Update

The executives, staff and volunteers of the ANH would like to extend our best wishes in the New Year to each of our friends and supporters.

In this eBlast we will focus on the key challenges to health freedom addressed by the ANH campaign in 2005, along with our campaign responses. We also want to take a few moments to look forward at where we are headed in 2006. Finally, in an effort to reinforce our resources and increase our effectiveness in accomplishing our objectives this year, we have included a 'Call to Action' at the end of this communication with an outline of the help that we will need from you, our supporters.

2005 Highlights
As you know, 2005 was a very significant year for health freedom and particularly in Europe where the ramifications continue to be felt and defined worldwide. The European legislative framework is fast becoming the most draconian in the world, also forming the template for international Codex Alimentarius guidelines on food and dietary supplements; it should remain one of the most important focuses for health freedom work internationally. The main highlights are as follows:

12th January. The Nutrient Risk Assessment report was issued by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), demonstrating that if existing methods of risk assessment are used, once the Food Supplements Directive requirements for establishing maximum levels (under Article 5) are taken into account, extremely low maximum permitted levels will result. This system would effectively lock out all therapeutic dosages of vitamins and minerals, and could readily be used in the international Codex guidelines, therefore having international as well as regional (European Union) impact. ANH was the first to communicate this problem worldwide.

25th January. The Oral hearing of the legal challenge to the Food Supplements Directive by the Alliance for Natural Health and Nutrilink Ltd, in conjunction with the Health Food Manufacturers Association UK (HFMA) and the National Association of Health Stores UK (NAHS) at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Advocate General Geelhoed referred to the positive list application process as "transparent as a black box".

13-14th March. Natural Trade Show, Brighton, UK. Keynote ANH speakers providing oral presentations to hundreds of companies, practitioners and consumers.

5th April. The Opinion on the legal challenge released by Advocate General Geelhoed on 5 April, making the recommendation, on the basis of the ANH's and co-claimants' legal challenge, that the Directive should be invalidated by the European Court of Justice.

17-18th April. Natural Products Expo, London. Oral presentations to a large number companies, practitioners and consumers.

21st-23rd April. Health freedom workshop on Codex Alimentarius guidelines affecting natural products, convened in Washington by the American Association for Health Freedom, with US and European health freedom organisations, initiating the development of new global coalition to be launched in 2006.

24-28th May. The Institute for Functional Medicine 12th International Symposium in Palm Springs, CA. "The Immune System under Siege: Clinical Approaches to Immunological Imbalances in the 21st Century." Presentation on key health freedom issues made by Dr Robert Verkerk. Scientists/doctors petition on risk assessment launched.

27th June. HAN Foundation (Netherlands) project commissioned, by the ANH to evaluate approaches to risk and benefit assessment of nutrients within the EU regulatory framework and propose scientifically and legally rational ways forward. Findings to be released in or shortly after Spring 2006.

4th July. Codex guidelines on vitamins and minerals finalised in Rome, although methods of determining upper safe levels and nutrient reference values still undecided.

12th July. Ruling of the European Court of Justice in relation to ANH legal challenge on Food Supplements Directive which, while it did not invalidate the Directive, effectively narrowed its scope and significantly clarified key aspects of it, making it considerably simpler for innovators to access the positive list. The ANH demonstrates the 'silver lining' in the judgment, against negative reports in the media and by trade associations.

18-19th September. Natural Trade Show, Harrogate, UK. Oral presentations to companies, practitioners and consumers. New Information Sheets released.

10th October. ANH submission of Paul Lasok QC's interpretation of the ECJ Ruling to Patricia Hewitt, UK Secretary of State.

29-30th October. Your Health Show in Dublin, hosted by the Irish Association of Health Stores. Presentations by Meleni Aldridge and Dr Robert Verkerk.

4th November. ANH Avian Flu Expert Committee formed. This Committee of expert scientists and doctors is assembling data on the limitations associated with conventional medical approaches to treatment in a pandemic, as well as assembling the evidence-base for use of natural products for mitigation of effects of H5N1.

17th November. CancerACTIVE Cancer Prevention conference, London. Presentations by Dr Robert Verkerk, ANH Executive & Scientific Director and Dr Damien Downing, ANH Medical Director.

21st-25th November. Codex Alimentarius committee meeting (Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses), Bonn, Germany. Dr Robert Verkerk attends scientific advisor to the National Health Federation delegation. See press release and full report by Paul Taylor.

If you would like summaries of the key health freedom issues, listen to a 17 minute online presentation by Dr Robert Verkerk (via fast internet connections only). This is also an ideal way to introduce others to the campaign, so please forward the link as far and wide as you can.

2006 - Key Strategic Areas
In 2006 the ANH will be focusing on 5 main areas:
Global regulatory guidelines: Codex Alimentarius
Addressing via inputs to Electronic Working Groups through Dr Robert verkerk's role as scientific advisor to the National Health Federation (INGO status at Codex) and expanded communications programmes

National/regional legislation: European Union, US, other
We will continue to look at optimum pathways through the current legislative threats. Attempt to positively shape legislation under development and aim to undertake strategic legal challenge to EU pharmaceutical law to prevent medicalisation of foods, functional foods and food/dietary supplements

Scientific Projects
We will be expanding our collaboration with scientific institutes and independent scientists and continuing to challenge current risk assessment models. Follow through on HAN Foundation project findings

Communications and Public Awareness
We will be expanding our communications and public awareness campaigns and bringing on additional resources and experts to facilitate these

Strategic Alliance Building
Expanding our partnerships with natural health, organic and environmental groups and associations. During the course of the year we will be providing additional information concerning individual projects within these areas and how they can significantly influence legislation, regulators, the media, the natural products trade, health providers and consumers.

Critical to this work is the development of much stronger international strategic alliances between health freedom organisations, as well as those with shared interests, including environmental and organic food groups. For example, we are presently building a close linkage with three US-based organisations, the American Association for Health Freedom, the National Health Federation, the World Institute of Natural Health Sciences and the Organic Consumers Association.

The professionalism of the health freedom movement will be further advanced by bringing together some of the best minds in relevant fields of science and law. This is crucial to getting results in our shared vision and campaigns. There is no getting away from the fact that the forces working to legislate and reduce the role of natural products in healthcare are huge: we are amidst a real David and Goliath battle. This interface of science and law has been the cornerstone of all of ANH's work since its inception in 2002, and it continues to play centre-stage in our campaign.

ANH on the move
29th January - 12th February. Rob Verkerk and Meleni Aldridge are travelling to the US for a series of meetings and conferences with key individuals, groups and companies in order to outline our 2006 goals and establish stronger strategic partnerships. We will be covering 12 cities over 6 States. (More on this in the February eBlast.)

A call to ACTION from you, our Supporters DONATE NOW
As you know, the ANH is a non-profit corporation. We operate entirely on donations. Without you and your continued financial support well, the bottom line is - we would cease to function.

In light of the current legislative threats and the onslaught of additional legislation and guidelines on the horizon, this battle is going to be a long one. We need to operate effectively throughout the duration and continue to be heard and have our presence and influence felt.

2006 will be a big year for ANH expansion onto the international arena, with its roots in the EU. To make this work possible we also need to step up many of our activities, empower and involve more people at the front lines of the campaign and so be able to deploy and utilise more resources. As you know we are also in a concerted drive to raise funds for a new legal challenge against European pharmaceutical law which currently has the power to arbitrarily bring any food or dietary supplement sold in the EU under its remit.

Please help in any way you can.
We give our sincere thanks to those of you who continue to donate on a regular basis and would ask those of you that don't as yet, to please consider making a monthly contribution to us, of whatever amount you can afford. Any support that you can give us makes a difference.

Please also forward this eBlast on to friends and contacts that are concerned about continuing health freedom and who might be interested in contributing to our work. As always, your comments are always appreciated and noted and we'd be interested in any feedback or suggestions.

In health,
Meleni Aldridge
Meleni Aldridge
Operations & Communications Manager
ALLIANCE FOR NATURAL HEALTH
The Atrium, Curtis Road
Dorking, Surrey RH4 1XA
tel +44 (0)1252 371275
dir +44 (0)1306 646550
fax +44 (0)1306 646552
Mob +44 (0)7771 750230
email mela@alliance-natural-health.org
web www.alliance-natural-health.org