MOVING OUT OF THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE AND INTO THE STORM
A lot has changed since Shawn’s last presentation at Total Health 2013. Not only is Health Canada in the throes of full enforcement of the NHP Regulations; recent months have seen the introduction of Bill C-17 (“Vanessa’s Law”) as well as media reports, carrying few actual details, about CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement).
Shawn asks several questions in his new talk. Beginning with: “Were we [NHPPA] wrong to predict that the Regulations would lead to product losses?”
He observes,
“People are complacent because when you walk into a health food store…the shelves are full. But if you are a person that relies on a product that is missing…if you are a person that relies on a product that’s been dumbed down, you’re in trouble.” (minute 20:30 on video)
He points out that the number of bottles still on the shelves is irrelevant if a lost product or sub-therapeutic dosage means you are required to shift to a more harmful pharmaceutical drug. He asks,
“When you’re regulating in the area of public health, shouldn’t you ask the question ‘are we [Health Canada] going to cause deaths?'” (minute 14:45 on video)
Regarding the secrecy surrounding CETA, Shawn states that, “Government secrecy is not consistent with a liberal democracy,” and adds that the European Union regulations regarding NHPs are even more draconian than our own.
Finally, Shawn discusses Vanessa’s Law in some detail, observing that the tragic death of a young girl, taking a pharmaceutical drug as prescribed, is absolutely deplorable, but that,
“Vanessa’s story is being used to promote this bill…apparently to make us safer…whenever the government chooses to use a personal story, it is meant to garner our support through emotion.” (minute 28:30 on video)
He explains the ways in which the government already has the power to recall or seize dangerous medications. The only difference Bill C-17 will make is that no court will be able to scrutinize the evidence. Shawn asks,
“If the minister already has the power to protect us from dangerous products, why is it that we have to give bureaucrats the authority secretly to take control over property?” (minute 33:30 on video)
Watch the full hour-long video:
