Main Contributors
As revealed in a previous post, we’ve recently implemented some fairly large additions to Lintbox and its direction. Many may have noticed the newly-added Special Features section, wherein we will occasionally bring you a variety of special content. Among these is the Panel Discussion, a biweekly compendium where the Lintbox staff and contributors alike may have their say on a singular topic of note. This week’s topic is NHPs, or “Natural Health Products,” and the nature of the basic human freedom to consume what one chooses to.
March 2008 in Canada was met with controversy when an amendment entitled Bill C-51 was introduced by Canadian Parliament in an effort to improve the efficacy of the long-obsolete Food and Drugs Act. The bill, though more of a compliment to the act than a modification, was met with a strong public outcry orchestrated by the website Stop C-51, a purported grassroots organization that claimed C-51 would implement draconian restrictions on natural health products and result in a proverbial police state. The website was revealed to have been a front for Truehope Nutritional Support Ltd., an NHP company sued by the government for selling multi-vitamins as a treatment for bipolar disorder without a license.
Nevertheless, while the controversy was revealed to indeed be a debacle, it raised a very valid question on the role of NHPs in our culture.
The question for this week’s panel is thus: Should NHPs, including vitamins, herbs, and other products regulated by the Natural Health Products Regulation face stricter regulation, or should their availability be secured as a basic human right? Similarly, should the government assure that medicines marketed toward the consumer are clinically proven to be effective, or should it allow natural products to be left unregulated as cultural merchandise?
This week’s panel, consisting of Paul and Mitchell, sounds off on the issue of NHPs and their proposed place in modern medicine.
Next Page: Mitchell’s Response
5 responses so far ↓
1
barbou // Sep 2, 2008 at 1:41 am
You neglect to give the complete story concerningHealth Canada’s persecution of Truehope.
An Alberta judge ruled in favor of Truehope’s position and chastised Health Canada’s inspectorsfor over stepping their authority and endangering lives by their actions.
I have heard Ottawa Skeptic’s,which you appear to be affiliated with were shills for the Conservative Government and in this case the machinations of their puppet master’s, Big Pharma.
Your belief in the another pharmaceutical shill “Quackbusters” exposes yet more of the lie that your skepticism has validity, and that you are guilty of the very manipulative dishonesty you unjustly attribute to Truehope.
2
Paul // Sep 2, 2008 at 2:02 am
Well, damn.
The plan was supposed to be flawless, but you and your Truehope do-gooders just had to keep on digging.
It is beyond me how you uncovered our ties to Ottawaskeptics, Quackbusters, and our unholy Big Pharma conglomerate. The truth is, every pill put forth by our omniscient overlords is chemically designed to sicken the populace rather than heal, in an effort to suppress the harmful truth that all ailments can be cured by St. John’s Wort and Vitamin C.
The truth is, all skeptic websites are a ruse. Propaganda machines established in an effort to manipulate information in our favour, and at the very least establish confusion over what truly works and what does not. As I type this I understand that I have broken the cardinal rule of our totalitarian regime, and may face the most dire of circumstances shortly after this comment is published.
My last regret is in providing you with sufficient evidence to untangle our web of a conspiracy– That you uncovered it all– You and your inability to use proper punctuation.
-Paul
(Evil Overlord Inc. Employment ID#314159265)
[Subject to Termination of Employment/Life]
3
barbou // Sep 2, 2008 at 2:09 am
Thank you for your honesty
4
Mitchell Gerskup // Sep 2, 2008 at 11:10 am
Now you’ve done it… that was supposed to be a secret!
5
Teshi // Sep 6, 2008 at 11:46 am
R.I.P.
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