TO: Fellow St. Paul Summit Participants
FROM: Elissa Meininger - Oklahoma
The article below was brought to my attention by one of my health food
store owner contacts. It's about developments in Washington, DC to create
a positive political climate for nutritional supplements. It discusses a
hearing held by Rep. Dan Burton, chairman of the House Government Reform
Subcommittee on Human Rights & Wellness on September 22.
During this hearing, fellow MN Summit participant, Donna Andrew of
Oklahoma, contacted me to alert me to the fact that the hearing was being
televised live on the Internet. While I have no idea how many of Burton's
hearings are televised on the net, what I do know is that when he holds
hearings, his committee posts all the testimony from these hearings which
then provides a wealth of information for later use by us folks.
Dan's website is: Announcement of Hearing
Posted Testimony
Congressional Hearing Examines Supplements' Impact on Health Care
Posted on: 09/23/2004
WASHINGTON--Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), chairman of the House Government
Reform Subcommittee on Human Rights & Wellness (http://reform.house.gov),
held an oversight hearing on Sept. 22, entitled "Dietary Supplements:
Nature's Answer to Cost Preventive Medicine." Testimony focused on dietary
supplements' ability to serve a preventive role in individual health care,
as well as the possible cost savings to the U.S. health care system from
such use.
"I, along with millions of Americans, firmly believe that dietary
supplements have been shown through credible scientific research and
historical use to be of immeasurable benefit to human health," Burton said.
"I believe when used responsibly, and in consultation with a primary care
physician, these products can greatly enhance an individual's overall
personal health."
The hearing set the stage for the release of a study conducted by the Lewin
Group, a market research firm, that demonstrated more than $15 billion in
potential health care cost reductions with supplement use. The study was
sponsored by the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA), a non-profit
industry organization. (Detailed results on the study:
www.naturalproductsinsider.com/hotnews/49h22143258.html.)
Additional testimony was provided by Paul Coates, Ph.D., director of the
Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), who described research and education initiatives underway at NIH;
Jeff Blumberg, Ph.D., associate director of the Jean Mayer U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts
University, and Barbara Levine, Ph.D., associate clinical professor of
nutrition in medicine and director of the Nutrition Information Center at
Weill Medical College of Cornell University, discussing the scientific
research behind dietary supplement use; and Elliott Balbert, president of
Natrol and DSEA chairman, who spoke about the importance of educating
Americans about dietary supplements and the need for full implementation of
the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
Testimony concluded with actress, author and health advocate Marilu Henner.
Henner described why she believes consumers should have access to more
information about dietary supplements and why the products should be made
more accessible through government initiatives and private health plans. "I
believe it is important for consumers to have information about dietary
supplements and to have access to supplements through their government and
private health plans," Henner said. "I believe dietary supplements should
be part of a campaign to improve our nation's health."
Note: Marilu Henner will be the keynote speaker at SupplySide West, Sept.
30, in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.supplysideshow.com.
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