I just posted this comment. Fell free to use or modify to your liking:
I am strongly opposed to this proposed regulatory action. I feel like the F.D.A. has become a puppet for the pharmaceutical industry, and rarely protects us from dangerous drugs (Vioxx, etc.). This proposed regulation would severely inhibit my ability as a free American citizen to make personal healthcare and wellness choices. I don't need a panel of F.D.A. regulators appointed by the profit-obsessed drug companies to control my supplement and fruit juice consumption. Please reconsider the notion of stepping even further into the personal lives of the American citizens. If the citizenry will need a prescription for Pfizer trademarked Vitamin C, a positively Orwellian nightmare will be upon us.
You are right on the mark. This is the same FDA that failed to protect over 4500 pets from toxic wheat gluten, rice protein concentrates and other protein products laced with melamine and rat poison. Media has become very quite in coverage of this, because guess who buys advertising time.
These imported products entered our ports from China and over 800 metric tons of wheat gluten powder were adulterated with Melamine to increase their protein assay. Melamine fools protein assay to read higher, so adding melamine enhances measured economic value. The FDA continues to report 16 pet deaths over a month after the toxic episode even though over 4500 pets have died. Foods continue with new recall announcements a full month after the first admission by Menu Foods of pet deaths from toxic foods.
The FDA has no adverse reporting form in place on their web site. In place, they list 50 phone numbers in 50 states for consumers to call with reports. Why? Because they don't want to assemble this data in a single data base. They don't want the answer known as to how miserably they failed the public who trusted them. If they don't have the data at hand, congress can't get a square answer. If the FDA wanted to know about adverse reactions to foods, supplements and medications, there would be a detailed form right there, listed on the home page. There wouldn't be phone numbers to informally screen and appease the public.
If you wanted to define "OWNED", that is the FDA. Big Pharma owns the FDA, as do the food manufactures. Genetic foods enter our food chain. These grains manufacture their own insecticides, withstand defoliiants such as Roundup and it's all served up for your dinner plate. It's not disclosed on the content labels either. Meanwhile, they are wondering if the supplement industry is eating into Big Pharma profits and can they do something about that? Who are they protecting and who do the work for?
When rice proteins were found to be imported by Wilber-Ellis, the middle of last week.... I think it was Tuesday, the FDA refused to reveal which food vendors received shipment of adulterated and toxic protein powders. Instead, days passed by while the FDA waited for American Nutrition, one of the recipients of the toxic stuff, to admit they had fraudulently used this ingredient in contract manufacture of product for Harmony Farms.
The FDA can't protect anyone except corporations. They have close ranks around this recent failure to protect us from agro-terrorism. No one except corporations know the full extent of this Melamine and rat poison added to human grade protein glutens. Melamine has been found in hog feed and the FDA has had to purchase 3000 hogs because of the poisoning with this "salvaged" pet food that was fed. The FDA can't find their ass with both hands, much less regulate even more than they are tasked with now.
The FDA doesn't belong regulating supplements. Supplements may need some checks and balances to assure they contain what is labeled. This is sure as hell not the folks to regulate this.
An aside note... you guys buying "Chinese Gear"... you ought to be scared.
