Dr. Ron Paul Answers Questions about Health Freedom

Natural Solutions Foundation's members have sent over 80,000 messages to all current candidates for President of the United States. Here is the first response.

-------------

November 3, 2004

Here are the questions we asked of each Presidential candidate on our Health Freedom Scorecard. To date, only Dr. Ron Paul (R-TX) has provided his answers to those questions.

We urge all candidates for the office of President of the United States take the time and effort necessary to consider, and answer,

HFUSA: The FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) Final Rule Do you support the FDA cGMP Final Rule for dietary supplements, issued on June 22, 2007, requiring the batch testing of all food dietary supplements although- Supplements have an enviable safety record- The FDA’s own economic analysis of the impact of the cGMP shows that it will drive a significant number of small and medium size manufacturers out of business?

Dr. Paul: I oppose all federal regulations that burden dietary supplement manufacturers. There is no need for the federal government to impose “Good Manufacturing Practices” on the dietary supplement industry. In addition, the federal government lacks constitutional authority to create standards for the supplement industry.

HFUSA: The FDA draft Guidance on Health Claim substantiation A. Are your aware of the FDA draft guidance on Health Claim substantiation, issued this summer, which mandates an unreasonably high “Significant Scientific Agreement” standard instead of the FTC “competent and reliable scientific evidence”, as proposed in HR 2117, The Health Freedom Protection Act?

Dr. Paul: I oppose the CAM Regulation draft guidelines and submitted comments to the FDA in opposition to the CAM regulations.


HFUSA: Do you support HR2117 {Health Freedom Protection Act]?

Dr. Paul: I introduced HR 2117, and oppose all FDA actions that in any way infringe on the First Amendment rights of consumers to learn about the health benefits of dietary supplements.


HFUSA: Protection of Dietary Supplements Do you support continuing strong protection for Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) products?

Dr. Paul: I support DSHEA.


HFUSA: Bio-Identical Hormones Do you support the right of men and women to use supplemental Bio-identical Hormones such as DHEA and progesterone to support normal function during change of life and premature aging in preference to less effective, dangerous and more expensive prescription drugs if they prefer bio-identical hormones?

Dr. Paul: The federal government has no constitutional authority to stop Americans from using bio-identical hormones.

HFUSA: Compounding Pharmacies Do you support the right of Compounding Pharmacists and licensed physicians to continue to provide compounded medications, on a doctor’s prescription, for special needs and choices of individuals, communicating their availability to the public, as permitted by the landmark Supreme Court case of Thompson vs. Western States Medical Centers?

Dr. Paul: The federal government has no constitutional authority to restrict the operations of compounding pharmacies.

HFUSA: A. Trilateral Cooperation Charter/North American Union/Security and Prosperity Partnership A. Do you support the “North American Union” and its companion “Security and Prosperity Partnership” which were created without Congressional debate and approval?

Dr. Paul: A. I am the leading Congressional opponent of the North American Union and the Security and Prosperity Partnership.

HFUSA: B. Do you support FDA’s policy of “harmonization” of regulations with those of Mexico and Canada through the North American Union and the already-operating Trilateral Cooperation Charter which fuses the national health departments of all three countries into a single entity without Congressional oversight or authorization of any entity?

Dr. Paul: B. I oppose all efforts to harmonize American law with the law of other countries and I have taken the lead in working to mobilize congressional opposition to the Trilateral Cooperation Charter.

HFUSA: C. Do you support such executive agreements without Congressional debate and approval?

Dr. Paul: C. No; I do not support allowing the President to erode our freedom and threaten our sovereignty by executive agreement.

HFUSA: D. If elected, do you pledge to use the power of the Executive Branch of Government to overturn or reverse the North American Union, Security and Prosperity Partnership and the Trilateral Cooperation Charter?

Dr. Paul: D. As President, I will withdraw the United States from the North American Union, the Security and Prosperity Partnership, and the Trilateral Cooperation Charter.

HFUSA: HARMonization of FDA regulations with international and foreign agencies and entities A. Do you support FDA?s policy of ?harmonization? of regulations with those of the European Union, under executive agreement?

Dr. Paul: A. I oppose harmonization. Centralization of power and control breeds oppression.

HFUSA:B. Do you support FDA?\'s policy of 'HARMonization'.? of regulations with the standards and guidelines of the Codex Alimentarius when those texts are created through the US efforts on behalf of industrialized food supply constituents and degrade and render toxic the US and global food supplies?

Dr. Paul: B. I am the leading Congressional opponent of CODEX.

HFUSA: C. If elected, what steps do you pledge to take to end these HARMonization activities of the FDA, USDA, FTC and EPA?

Dr. Paul: C. I will seek to stop US participation in the Codex process and make it clear to the UN and the WTO that my administration will not change one comma in American law to make the bureaucrats at Codex happy.

HFUSA: Anti-HARMonization Statute Do you support strict enforcement of the Anti-Harmonization Statute, 19 USC 3512, which prohibits such harmonization with respect to the US food supply and those foods known as Dietary Supplements?

Dr. Paul: I was instrumental in drafting the anti-harmonization statute, so, yes; I supported strict enforcement of it.

HFUSA: FDA HARMonization with international standards A. Are you aware and do you support the FDA’s announced policy of “harmonization” with International Standards, even where those standards are not finalized: “In a notice published in the Federal Register of October 11, 1995 (60 FR 53078), FDA articulated its policy regarding the development and use of standards with respect to the harmonization of various national and international regulatory requirements and guidelines? - http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr970707.html ?

Dr. Paul: A. As stated before, I am strongly opposed to harmonization.

HFUSA:B If elected, what steps do you pledge to take to reign in such HARMonization and return the US to regulatory sovereignty?

Dr. Paul: B. please see my previous answers.

HFUSA: World Trade Organization and similar international bodies A. Do you support harmonizing America’s legal structure and freedoms to international restrictions through participation in bodies such as the World Trade Organization?

Dr. Paul: A. No; I oppose harmonizing American laws with those of foreign countries to satisfy the WTO or any other international regime.

HFUSA: B. Do you support withdrawing from the World Trade Organization?.

Dr. Paul: B. Yes; as a Congressman, I took advantage of the clause in the WTO enabling legislation that allows any member of Congress to introduce legislation withdrawing the United States from the WTO. In fact, by twice introducing WTO withdrawal legislation, I twice forced Congress to vote on withdrawing the United States from the WTO.

HFUSA: C. Do you support withdrawing from the United Nations?

Dr. Paul: C. Yes; I have introduced legislation to withdraw from the UN (HR 1146).

HFUSA: Divesting the FDA of food regulatory authority A. Since nutrient and natural health products are regulated as Food in accordance with US law, do you support a division of the FDA into two separate agencies, one focusing on Foods (including dietary supplements and all natural or non-pharmaceutical health products) and the other finally focusing on protecting the safety of the public with regard to dangerous drugs and invasive medical devices?

Dr. Paul: A. No; I favor reducing the power of the FDA, not “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” by dividing the FDA bureaucracy.

HFUSA: B. Do you support the FDA’s approval of genetically modified foods in the absence of any safety testing, requiring only a patent before the genetically modified food can be admixed with the food supply?

Dr. Paul: B. Consumers should have the right to choose whether or not to use genetically modified food without having the FDA deny them that choice.

HFUSA: C. Do you support the FDA’s position that since the FDA has declared genetically modified foods equivalent to natural ones in the absence of any testing to demonstrate that to be the case and its stated understanding that the public would reject genetically modified foods if they knew what they were buying and eating, that it would be false and misleading if genetically modified foods were identified as such so their labeling is prohibited?

Dr. Paul: C. Consumers have every right to demand that genetically-modified food be labeled as such.

HFUSA: Compulsory medical treatment A. Do you support the use of the State’s powers to compel compulsory mental health or other screening, forced drugging or other medical treatment under any circumstances?

Dr. Paul: A. No; I oppose compulsory medical treatment.

HFUSA: B. Do you support removing children from parental custody when parents refuse to use medication for alleged “mental health problems” in their children?

Dr. Paul: B. The federal government has no authority to remove children from their parents’ custody because those parents have refused to medicate their children according to federal edicts.

HFUSA: C. Do you support removing children from parental custody when parents refuse to use medication for the allopathic (pharmaceutical) treatment of life threatening diseases such as cancer?

Dr. Paul: C. The federal government has no constitutional authority to remove a child from a parent’s custody because of that parent’s refusal to seek state-ordered medical treatments for their child.

HFUSA: D. Do you support the forced use of pharmaceutical or other medical treatment in adults under any circumstances?

Dr. Paul: D. I have a difficult time imaging a scenario where I would support forcing medical treatment on someone against their will, especially in my capacity as a federal elected official.

HFUSA: E. Do you support the right of parents or adult persons to chose natural medical treatments over pharmaceutical ones if they desire?

Dr. Paul: E. Of course; I support the right of adults to choose natural medical treatments. I have consistently cosponsored legislation in Congress to protect this right.

HFUSA: Mandatory screening A. Do you support mandatory mental health or other health screening?

Dr. Paul: A. I am the leading Congressional opponent of Mandatory Mental Health Screening.

HFUSA: B. Do you support the use of Federal funds for such screening?

Dr. Paul: B. I have introduced the Parental Consent Act (HR 2387), which forbids federal funds for mandatory mental health screening of children without parental consent. I oppose any use of funds for mandatory mental health screening.

HFUSA: C. Do you support the use of Federal funds to pay for forced drugging of children or adults?

Dr. Paul: C. Yes, I oppose the use of federal funds to pay for forced medicating of children (or adults).

HFUSA: Natural Health Options Do you support the use of Federal funds for natural medical and health therapy services and treatments on a par with pharmaceutical and other allopathic treatments, at the discretion of the patient?

Dr. Paul: As long as the federal government is financing health care, it should allow the beneficiaries to choose to use their federal funds for alternative treatments.

HFUSA: Vaccination A. Do you oppose mandatory vaccination under all circumstances?

Dr. Paul: A. It is difficult for me to imagine a scenario where I could support forced vaccinations, especially in my capacity as a federal elected official.

HFUSA: B. Do you support continuing the pharmaceutical industry’s exemption from legal responsibility for injuries caused by vaccinations?

Dr. Paul: B. No, I do not believe the pharmaceutical industry should be protected from paying compensation to those harmed by their vaccines.

HFUSA: C. Do you support continuing the pharmaceutical industry’s exemption from legal responsibility for injuries caused by drugs approved for any indication?

Dr. Paul: C. No, the pharmaceutical industry should not be protected from being held accountable to those injured by their products.

HFUSA: . Reproductive Autonomy A. Do you support a woman’s right to control her reproductive life without interference from the Federal government?

Dr. Paul: A. As a physician, I oppose abortion. I believe this should be dealt with by state and local governments; it is not a federal issue.

HFUSA: B. If elected, what will you pledge to do to protect the reproductive autonomy of women?

Dr. Paul: [No Answer provided]

HFUSA: Freedom Plank How soon can the American public expect a formal Health Freedom Plank in your campaign platform?

Dr. Paul: There is further information on my position on health freedom on my website at http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/health-freedom/ .