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But that's about to end - perhaps.  The powerful North American Health Freedom Movement is flexing its muscle - and has gone to the US Congress and said "Enough is enough. We've got to stop the drug pushers."

Congress has responded.  And what Congress did was to activate HR 4282.

What's HR 4282 about?

It's simple.  When enacted, the bill will:

(1) amend the drug and health claim provisions of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to permit truthful disease treatment claims for foods and dietary supplements (presently FDA prohibits all such claims.

(2) prohibit FDA from preventing any who sell foods and supplements from sending consumers government reports (and accurate quotes form government reports) on nutrient-disease associations.

(3) prohibit FDA from preventing any who sell foods and supplements from sending consumers scientific publications on nutrient-disease associations;

(4) limit FDA disclaimers on health claims to no more than three concise sentences.

(5) require FDA to permit health claims to be made unless FDA proves there to be no scientific evidence to support the claims and no disclaimer capable of avoiding misleadingness;

(6) compel FDA to approve or disapprove health claim petitions within 100 days or the claims will be automatically allowed.

(7) require FDA to consider studies of the treatment effect of nutrients in evaluation of nutrient-disease prevention claims.

(8) prohibit FDA from waiving conflicts of interest in its food advisory panels considering health claims.