Codex Alimentarius

Constructed by the pharmaceutical industry, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is a self-proclaimed expert organization that has allied with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Organization (FAO). From the beginning, this was done with the intention of passing regulations and laws to protect the global pharmaceutical market.

Of the 30 committees using the title "Codex Alimentarius," those involved with food supplements and vitamins are of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry. The central committee is the "Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses." A puppet of the pharmaceutical industry, this committee has only been concerned with one topic since the middle of the 1990's: how to prevent vitamins and other food supplements from causing the collapse of the markets for beta-blockers, calcium antagonists, cholesterol lowering products and other widely superfluous pharmaceutical preparations.

By far, Germany is the biggest exporter of these dubious pharmaceutical products and nowhere else in the world exists such a bond between the pharmaceutical industry and politics. Therefore it is no surprise that the Government of the German Federal Republic is in charge of this committee, benefiting the pharmaceutical cartel.

The aims of Codex Alimentarius are clearly defined: Statements on the curative effects of vitamins and other natural remedies will be banned and made a punishable offense. In the future, the distinction between a foodstuff and a medicine will be made by the pharmaceutical industry itself and not by governments.

Using this new legislative edict, the pharmaceutical industry will extend its own markets as it sees fit. At present, the pharmaceutical industry has succeeded in classifying 500 milligrams of vitamin C in pill form as a medication requiring a prescription in Germany. If the pharmaceutical industry had its way, 100 mg or even 50 mg of vitamin C would be classified as medication.

The pharmaceutical industry knows that most people have no understanding of these restrictions and has disguised them with legal jargon.

The strategic aims of "Codex Alimentarius":

1. The distribution of health information concerning vitamins, amino acids, minerals and other natural products for the prevention and treatment of diseases will be banned globally.

2. The sale of vitamins and other natural products which exceed the guidelines of this Codex commission (which are arbitrary and far too low) will be prohibited globally.

3. Countries that fail to apply these laws will be punished by international economic sanctions.

To mask its actual intention of protecting the world market of superfluous pharmaceutical preparations, those responsible for Codex have invented exculpatory statements: Thus the next Codex Alimentarius conference will occur at the "Federal Office for Health-related Consumer Protection" in Berlin in November of 2002. In addition to the "consumer protection" from alleged "harmful side effects" of vitamins, a need for united international administration of the pharmaceutical industry was indicated.

The fact that the pharmaceutical industry believes that this disguised justification will be unacceptable is clearly evident since Codex plans to punish all those who oppose its plans with economic sanctions by the UN.

Our response: Talk to as many people as possible about these irresponsible plans and let the members of the Codex commission and their delegates know what you think.