|Supplement raid could lead to suicide|
|Raid an Outrage|
|Protectionism|
|Comments from the public|
|MP James LUNNEY Press Release July 17/03|
|Ottawa Citizen July16/2003|
|Edmonton Journal July 16 2003|
|Calgary Herald July16/2003|
|Edmonton Journal July 17/2003|
|CanWest News Services July17/2003|
|Truehope backers Warn of Suicides|
DEAR MINISTER OF HEALTH - Anne McLellan,
Here is the most recent from the media regarding Health Canada and RCMP Swat
Team Raid on Truehope's Head Offices. I have included ALL of them as MS word
Attachments however I have cut and pasted my favorite articles directly to this
email..... based on the various letters to the editors and open forums held on
this matter, the public is outraged and the MINISTER OF HEALTH WILL PAY FOR THIS
WITH HER JOB! Hope you enjoy these ANNE!!
PS. You have quite an audience here.... ANY COMMENTS? Looking forward to our
date in court...
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Supplement raid could lead to suicide
Letter to Editor
The Leader-Post (Regina)
Friday, July 18, 2003
Page: F6
Section: National & International
Dateline: CALGARY
Source: Canadian Press
CALGARY (CP) -- The Alberta head of the Canadian Mental Health Association says mental patients may kill themselves as a result of a police raid that could cut off their supply to a controversial vitamin supplement.
Ron LaJeunesse said he believes the supplement known as Empowerplus has cured patients suffering from mental illness and that their lives are at risk without it.
"It's going to result in dozens of suicides," said LaJeunesse, executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association's Alberta division. "I know of two already.
"If there's no opportunity for people to take it, at best we're going to see some mental patients going back to hospital. At worst, they'll die."
Police raided Truehope Nutritional Support Ltd. in Raymond, Alta., near Lethbridge, Tuesday and shut the company down for a day while they searched for evidence that the company was selling the product without government approval.
About 19 hours later, officers carted away nine boxes of material.
While LaJeunesse bemoaned the impact the raid could have on mental patients, others welcomed the police action.
Kaj Korvela, the head of the Calgary-based Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorders, said he doesn't believe the supplement is as effective as its supporters say. He said some people who dropped their prescribed medications to take Empowerplus didn't have a positive result.
"It was too expensive, it made them worse and most of them went back on their medication," said Korvela.
Health Canada said Wednesday the government is standing firm on its decision to initiate the raid which was launched to collect evidence that Truehope and its sister company, Synergy Group of Canada, are marketing and selling a drug without government permission.
Krista Apse, a Health Canada spokeswoman, said the companies have yet to provide scientific evidence the product is safe and effective.
"We're taking action to protect the health of Canadians," she said.
Employees of Truehope said they plan to protest Friday outside the Edmonton office of federal Health Minister Anne McLellan.
"There's an uprising of resentment with what Health Canada is doing," said David Hardy, who partnered with Tony Stephan to set up the company. "If they're really interested in health, why are they restricting access to something that's obviously effective?"
Hardy says several scientific studies have shown Empowerplus is safe and effective -- including a preliminary project by University of Calgary researcher Bonnie Kaplan.
"They have ample evidence this is safe and effective. They can't prove otherwise."
The company claims the supplement can be used to treat bipolar disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, autism, Tourette's syndrome, fibromyalgia and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Apse said Truehope and Synergy have never filed a new drug submission, despite several requests to do so, and have refused to comply with its orders to stop selling Empowerplus in the meantime.
Health Canada issued a June 6 health advisory warning Canadians not to take Empowerplus. The department has also been intercepting shipments of the supplement at the U.S. border but it continues to allow people to bring back up to three-months of the product for personal use.
Health Canada has not decided if or when it will file charges under the Food and Drug Act.
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Raid an outrage
Letter to Editor
Darlene Kemp
Calgary Herald
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Re: "RCMP shuts down supplement firm," July 16.
Who are we protecting here?
It makes me so angry to see that once again we are paying Health Canada to protect the pharmaceutical companies rather than the health of Canadians. Why would RCMP officers waste their time shutting down a firm that supplies much-needed, non-toxic vitamins, minerals and antioxidants?
It gets so tiring to hear of every new drug that hits the market (free advertising), as well as see all their paid commercials.
If Health Canada doesn't realize soon it should promote companies supplying safe alternatives, our health-care system will be bankrupt.
Darlene Kemp
Calgary
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Protectionism is priority
Letter to Editor
Horst Wilms
Calgary Herald
Friday, July 18, 2003
Re: "RCMP shuts down supplement firm," July 16.
As a taxpayer and a believer in vitamins and herbs, I vehemently protest the RCMP raid against this Alberta business. With a customer base of about 3,000, anyone must concede the legitimacy and health benefits of this company's products. Don't believe any of the excuses the government will use to justify the RCMP's action. The raid was perpetrated to protect the powerful pharmaceutical industry from fair competition.
Horst Wilms
Calgary
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Calgary Herald's "Sound off" Comments from the Public
Regarding the RCMP Swat Team Raid on an Alberta Vitamin Company
NAME � TOM
Too bad we didn't use our tax dollars on basic research rather than armed
enforcement. Doesn't this strike anyone else as an abuse of power and
mismanagement of public resources? What did an expensive police raid really
accomplish other than to frighten people. Couldn't this have been done without
the use of violence? I'm not condoning the actions of companies that won't do
proper scientific studies, but I can't condone our officials actions either.
Once again, it's clear, they act only out of self or corporate interests.
Furthermore, I'm ashamed of our upper class citizens and the way they've
perverted our democracy, they've obviously become totally immoral,
irresposible and uncaring. Of course, it's been said that we the people
receive the governance we deserve, after all we allow and support an abusive,
exploitive and injust system, simply for the sake of personal comfort and
material gain.
NAME � SANDRA L
E-MAIL - [email protected]
The problem is with health claims. As soon as a product is labelled as a
"treatment" or a "cure", legal boundaries are crossed and the substance is
now technically a drug. Judging from preliminary research, it appears this
nutritional supplement has benefited individuals with certain mental disorders.
Perhaps this product provides the raw materials needed by the body to do its job.
Who are we cheating when we shut down individuals supplying nutritional
supplements? Furthermore, I agree that there needs to be regulations to
protect the public, but please! Going in with arms?! I can think of better
ways to see my tax dollars being spent!
NAME � TOM BARNES
E-MAIL - [email protected]
OCCUPATION � CONTRACTOR
LOCATION - ALBERTA
What heavey handedness. Another example of the incredible power trip that our
rulers are on. Heaven forbid that those egomaniacs would have to admit that
anyone but them could help their humble subjects. The system has failed us again.
T Barnes
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NAME � VEL CRAIG
LOCATION - ALBERTA
Some haven't experienced the distress of Stephan + others Many people have
tried 'conventional treatment but still suffering. Alternatives must be
available to all Canadians. If someone pays for a treatment that works,
what right has anyone- government included- to take that away? RCMP? ludicrous!
Chair Trueman Tuck, says I first started using natural health products when in
University � approximately 35 years ago-Joined the natural health industry in
1973-buying part interest in a natural food store-Was employed then in a
senior regulatory management role-federal government. When Health Canada
and others stepped up harassment of our industry in 1995, I founded the
Friends of Freedom to legally, and politically fight Health Canada�s tyranny.
In a great grassroots uprising-1997,1998-over 1,000,000 concerned Canadians
clearly said �give us more informed freedom of access to natural health
products, devices, and services�. I agree
NAME � JB
LOCATION - CALGARY
I am one of those "pitiful" citizens that that government is trying to
protect with their prohabition-type tactics against True Hope, and their
big-brother ideology about what is the "right" treatment for my illness.
Let me tell you, Anne McLellan, Federal Minister of Health, I tried your
so-called traditional cures... for 15 years!! Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac...
none of them worked. Six months on Empower Plus and I'm finally living the
life I was meant to. So BUTT OUT and let ME be responsible for my health
and welfare and make my own decisions about my treatments!
NAME � JAMES GRAHAM
E-MAIL � [email protected]
OCCUPATION � GRAPHICS CONSULTANT
LOCATION � OLDS, ALBERTA
The actions of our government and health professionals more and more appear
to be those of a syndicate protecting their turf. Only those drugs sanctified
by the priests of the medical profession (who kill somewhere in the order of
10,000 people a year through errors and mistakes?)are sold to the public at
exhorbitant prices. It isn't difficult to see why they protect their prestige
and profits from any natural agent that might compete. It is time that people
demand the right of choice when it comes to what medications they consume and
from whom they buy it.
NAME � PAT L
E-MAIL - [email protected]
OCCUPATION � STUDENT
LOCATION - YYC
It is disturbing to see such use of force for a simple issue. Whatever
happened to "cease and desist" orders? If the government or police need
further information, then by all means, show up in a civilized and
appropriate fashion with unarmed investigators and a search warrant!
What are the chances that if the company was in Quebec, especially in an
"important" riding, this would be "missed" by the feds and not even be a
story? It is almost certain that some company somewhere has felt an impact
from this product, and they are major fund contributors to an important
federal (liberal) MP. The smartest thing these folks can do is to release
the basic formula to all of the media, so that the people in need can make
it for themselves. This will totally neutralize the fed's efforts. It is a
sure bet it will sting the feds badly, and the company will soon be allowed
back into business. I suspect most of the original customers would soon return
once operations resume.
PL
NAME � DAN STEPHAN
EMAIL � [email protected]
OCCUPATION � TRUEHOPE EMPLOYEE
LOCATION - RAYMOND
Health canada can suck it!! why are we still in business if we are so
dangerous. You know you have a great product when health canada and the
RCMP SWAT team raid your office and your back in business the next day.
What a joke!!!
NAME � HUGH JAZZ
OCCUPATION � TAXPAYER
LOCATION � FT. MCMURRAY
I recommended True Hope to a colleague of mine when i heard them on the
radio a few years back. My friends son had ADD and was off the wall
behaviour wise. He was enrolled in a special school for kids with all sorts of
problems. He tried True Hope and their vitamins and would you believe his
son within weeks was a completely different kid. I wonder why we let the drug
industry dictate to us what works and what doesnt work. Makes me wonder if the
cure for cancer hasnt already been discovered.
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