Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Health Canada

[Beaver]

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Health Canada in an effort to ensure that Canadians maintain the right to choose their own methods and products for their personal health and well being.

It's nice to know that there are people out there who are still willing to push back against tyranny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t43Ibe2qCig&feature=em-unknown

Dan Dicks is also an excellent Canadian documentary film maker whose videos are available for free on youtube. Check out his documentary "Into The Fire" that covers the huge injustices carried out against the Canadian people at the G20 Summit in Toronto. Truly an amazing video that will open your eyes and blow your mind.

 

[WolfeReign]

I think this is a great idea...the funny part is i talked about doing a class action suit against HC many times here in ECF back in May of this year..........hmmm

 

[Qcaj]

I'm torn by this. On one hand, raw raw fight the powah

On the other hand, I'm suspicious of the efficacy of the natural health products and it bother me that, for example, homeopathic medications should be granted some form of legitimacy that they do not have.

 

[tygertyger]

I'm torn by this. On one hand, raw raw fight the powah

On the other hand, I'm suspicious of the efficacy of the natural health products and it bother me that, for example, homeopathic medications should be granted some form of legitimacy that they do not have.

I'm a big believer in natural health products, but that doesn't mean I believe in every snake oil that hits the market. This is an arena where you MUST be diligent and do your homework.

 

[Oriana871]

This is an arena where you MUST be diligent and do your homework.

That goes for EVERYTHING, whether it's natural health products, pharmaceuticals, GMO food, any food for that matter, any product you buy, anything you put into your body. Not to mention that Big Pharma has a monetary interest in controlling natural healthy products. Nix the categories I say and just fight for the right. Any one who doesn't do due diligence in researching and questioning what's spoon fed to us should take responsbility for the consequences.

 

[Qcaj]

I guess my problem with this is that "innocent until proven guilty" is bad practice with medical/health products. "Proven guilty" in these cases can mean people die. I'm thinking of those diet pills in the 90s that were basically speed and gave people heart attacks.
(Not to mention all the "natural" remedies that have killed people by omission - ie those who don't get chemotherapy because they think crystals and tea tree oil will cure their cancer).

I agree with the due diligence, and I'm not trying to start an argument about how evil or dangerous prescription drugs can be, or how evil or dangerous natural products are not. I'm just saying that as consumer we assume a certain amount of "due diligence" has been done on the products on the shelves at Safeway and Loblaws and Shoppers, etc.

I was in China just recently. Everywhere I was (including Hong Kong, Macau, and the mainland) you had to boil your water (or buy it bottled - but you're taking a risk buying it). Returning home I was so happy I didn't have to do that any longer. My taxes pay for the convenience and peace of mind knowing that my water is safe to drink, right from the tap. I can go to a shop and know that I can buy milk without growth hormones and paint without lead. Hopefully one day I'll be able to buy ejuice without diacetyl there.

This was long, and I feel a bit like I'm turning into an HC spokesperson when I really don't mean to be one, but... I think we should take care of each other. I'm not a fan of letting the ignorant suffer for their lack of education.

 

[tygertyger]

That goes for EVERYTHING, whether it's natural health products, pharmaceuticals, GMO food, any food for that matter, any product you buy, anything you put into your body. Not to mention that Big Pharma has a monetary interest in controlling natural healthy products. Nix the categories I say and just fight for the right. Any one who doesn't do due diligence in researching and questioning what's spoon fed to us should take responsbility for the consequences.

*applause*
Amen.... you really can't trust the governing bodies to decide what's best for us, or we wouldn't still be begging for GMO labelling, and frankenfood would be outlawed, etc etc etc...

 

[Jables]

I'm thinking of those diet pills in the 90s that were basically speed and gave people heart attacks.

But they worked so well!

 

[tgrsaint]

I'm torn by this. On one hand, raw raw fight the powah

On the other hand, I'm suspicious of the efficacy of the natural health products and it bother me that, for example, homeopathic medications should be granted some form of legitimacy that they do not have.

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it: Voltaire

... so too, with "the right to choose", for, what are we, if not first & foremost "freewill" choosers ? Doesn't matter if we haven't investigated the long successful History of Homeopathy, & therefore are not personally convinced of its efficacy, we cannot take away another's living-rite to choose Homeopathy lest the Homeopaths gather together to take away "our" freedom of preferred Medicine, yes?

 

[Mindfield]

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it: Voltaire

... so too, with "the right to choose", for, what are we, if not first & foremost "freewill" choosers ? Doesn't matter if we haven't investigated the long successful History of Homeopathy, & therefore are not personally convinced of its efficacy, we cannot take away another's living-rite to choose Homeopathy lest the Homeopaths gather together to take away "our" freedom of preferred Medicine, yes?

The problem here however is that homeopathy has never been proven by any measure of scientific study to have any effect at all beyond that of a placebo, and its very nature goes completely against everything science tells us about how things work. I'm not saying people shouldn't have the right to choose it -- by all means everyone is entitled to be taken in by whatever claims are made so long as they are not harmful -- but, as has been said, it is incumbent upon everyone to make informed decisions by doing their own research and being able to separate the wheat from the chaff in that regard.

 

[farmer_bric]

As an old time Physics grad (circa 1970), homeopathy can best be described as "dark energy". Not sure what it is, but I need it to make things work

 

[Battlelance]

While I generally support the idea that we should be free to do what we want by making our own informed and educated decisions on whether to consume a particular product or not, I like the fact that my tax money goes an organization with scientists that study (or review studies or at the very least tried to maintain) the safety of the products we put in our bodies. There are some "natural health products" on the market that have no business being there.

If you read the press release for this lawsuit Canada The Alarm Clock is going off !: Time For Health Canada to come clean!

My biggest issue with their points, especially #1, is that while there may have been no deaths directly from natural health products, there have been deaths from the side effects of some natural health products. An example is Saint John's Wart - there have been deaths related to side effects namely interactions with other medications.

I also disagree with point #4. Allowing garbage "natural health products" onto the market and waiting until someone dies from it before doing anything is NOT the way to go. For instance there was a case of a company selling NHPs whos products were pulled off the market after some were found to contain heavy metals.

I think there needs to be some level of supervision over the industry. Honestly, what makes these huge NHP producing companies any different than big pharma? Ingredients of these NHPs aside, someone needs to insure we're getting exactly what is promised on the bottle, and that they didn't just mix a random forest mushroom with some spruce tree bark into a pill form, diluted to 1% distilled water, stick it in a bottle, and sell it.

 

[aggo]

While I generally support the idea that we should be free to do what we want by making our own informed and educated decisions on whether to consume a particular product or not, I like the fact that my tax money goes an organization with scientists that study (or review studies or at the very least tried to maintain) the safety of the products we put in our bodies. There are some "natural health products" on the market that have no business being there.

My biggest issue with their points, especially #1, is that while there may have been no deaths directly from natural health products, there have been deaths from the side effects of some natural health products. An example is Saint John's Wart - there have been deaths related to side effects namely interactions with other medications.

Have a look at this: Health Canada tight-lipped on Champix suicides - thestar.com

I've been kind of torn myself. There are a few "natural" remedies I swear by that work better than anything I could get at the drug store....but I've also tried homeopathic/naturopathic treatments that did absolutely nothing for me. And I'm personally grateful for most of the "western" vaccines and meds I've taken. Like others, I just try to do research the best I can and try to take the best of what both have to offer.

Oh, and by the way.....Voltaire never actually said:

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it

 

[Battlelance]

Have a look at this: Health Canada tight-lipped on Champix suicides - thestar.com

Yeah I heard about that. My doctor talked to me (I tried Zyban and it didn't work) about Champix and was very clear about the side effects and what I needed to look out for. I never did take it due to my benefits not paying twice for smoking cessation medication, but kudos to the doc for taking the time to explain the med. I think any sort of anti-depressant (zyban, champix, etc.), or any medication that has an effect on the brain has the potential to be harmful depending on the situation. On the other hand, I'm sure it has helped many more millions than caused harm. I consider medication to be a lot like a PC, people might have the same hardware but different software can cause problems.

Anyway, I'm also grateful for modern medications, or else I'd probably be dead.

And I'm pretty sure that "voltaire" quote was actually Evelyn Hall who wrote Voltaire's biography if memory serves me right.

 

[Projectguy]

Yeah I heard about that. My doctor talked to me (I tried Zyban and it didn't work) about Champix and was very clear about the side effects and what I needed to look out for. I never did take it due to my benefits not paying twice for smoking cessation medication, but kudos to the doc for taking the time to explain the med. I think any sort of anti-depressant (zyban, champix, etc.), or any medication that has an effect on the brain has the potential to be harmful depending on the situation. On the other hand, I'm sure it has helped many more millions than caused harm. I consider medication to be a lot like a PC, people might have the same hardware but different software can cause problems.

Anyway, I'm also grateful for modern medications, or else I'd probably be dead.

And I'm pretty sure that "voltaire" quote was actually Evelyn Hall who wrote Voltaire's biography if memory serves me right.

Its just the doctors and the pharmas we have to be careful of. They'll kill us.

 

[Urban Nightmare]

On the other hand, I'm sure it has helped many more millions than caused harm. I consider medication to be a lot like a PC, people might have the same hardware but different software can cause problems.

I'd have to find the data again but this isn't quite correct. Some hundred thousands or so yes it does help but really only those with actual depression/mental illness. As a smoking cessation drug it's not any where near that common because of the horrible side effects. My own personal experience with the drug was horrible. Also three other friends who where trying to quit had bad reactions to it and had to get off of it. I really think this was a case of just needing to re-up the patent on the drug so they got it made in to a quit smoking drug. And yes that's enough so it can't go to the generics.

 

[Projectguy]

I'd have to find the data again but this isn't quite correct. Some hundred thousands or so yes it does help but really only those with actual depression/mental illness. As a smoking cessation drug it's not any where near that common because of the horrible side effects. My own personal experience with the drug was horrible. Also three other friends who where trying to quit had bad reactions to it and had to get off of it. I really think this was a case of just needing to re-up the patent on the drug so they got it made in to a quit smoking drug. And yes that's enough so it can't go to the generics.

Thankfully Chantix is not as "attractive" a drug as ...... which lost its patent in the supreme court a month ago. Can you imagine Chantix as a generic!

 

[Battlelance]

I'd have to find the data again but this isn't quite correct. Some hundred thousands or so yes it does help but really only those with actual depression/mental illness. As a smoking cessation drug it's not any where near that common because of the horrible side effects. My own personal experience with the drug was horrible. Also three other friends who where trying to quit had bad reactions to it and had to get off of it. I really think this was a case of just needing to re-up the patent on the drug so they got it made in to a quit smoking drug. And yes that's enough so it can't go to the generics.

We also don't know what the exact percentage of Champix users where it worked v.s. those that committed suicide while taking Champix v.s. what percentage of those people had suicidal thoughts prior to champix use & what percentage of those didn't take the drug as prescribed or had other contributing factors. The bottom line is, we don't know, and this is all speculation.

I know 6 people that took Champix and it worked for them no problems. I know 1 person that had to stop taking it because it gave them the heebeejeebies.

Finally, I'm pretty sure that varenicline is technically a form of antidepressant but was never developed or studied (unlike Zyban, which started its life as an antidepressant) for such use.

 

[tgrsaint]

Oh, and by the way.....Voltaire never actually said:

........huh?

 

[tgrsaint]

And I'm pretty sure that "voltaire" quote was actually Evelyn Hall who wrote Voltaire's biography if memory serves me right.

Oh..... pardon me, then. The point remains the same regardless of who first coined the phrase, however; generation after generation we run away from "oppression" only to re-create it in a different location. That is why the "price" of Freedom is "eternal vigilance"; we ALL have the annoying habit of "extending" our individual Dominion beyond the boundaries of our own personal bodies... this seemingly unimportant little quirk, becomes an "insurmountable" obstacle to Freedom (& true Democracy) when you add "Statutes" into the mix.... nuf'said. Death is "inevitable".... thus it is not a valid excuse for "over-regulation" & the infringement upon Constitutionally protected individual rights & freedoms. "Some" collateral damage is better than a Free Nation "forcing" itself into a disfunctional & thoroughly "chained" condition, simply because it's people haven't the courage to accept Death as the constant-companion to Life.