A Prescription for Vitamin C?

Dr. Don Parkerson, Jr.

Linus Pauling must be turning over in his grave. The man who first proclaimed that mega-doses of vitamin C could prevent the common cold had no idea what kind of healthcare revolution he would ignite.

It’s been 35 years since Dr. Pauling published his theory and Americans are now using more vitamins and herbal supplements to boost their overall health than he could have ever imagined. In fact, it is now estimated that 70% of the U.S. population uses dietary supplements in some capacity. As such, you had to know that it was just a matter of time before politics would come into play.

H.R. 3156

If you follow the health care scene, you’ve probably heard the rumors and conjecture regarding the H.R. 3156 bill before the U.S. Congress. H.R. 3156 is the Dietary Supplement Access and Awareness Act and proposes to restrict public access to some herbal and non-vitamin supplements.

The bill was introduced into Congress by U.S. Representative Susan Davis, a democrat from California. Its goal is to regulate dietary supplements like St. John’s Wort, Saw Palmetto, and omega-3 fatty acids by requiring their manufacturers to submit to stringent FDA rules and guidelines.

If passed, H.R. 3156 would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ban any product if he or she decides that its risks outweigh its benefits, even if there is no proof of harm.

The Counter-Movement

While I’ll try to leave my personal politics out of this discussion, a reasonable case can be made for less governmental intrusion in our health decisions. The great majority of policy makers are not doctors of any kind and have very little, if any, education or training in matters of health and nutrition. That puts them on exactly the same playing field of knowledge as Mr. and Mrs. Smith who go to the health food store every month and pick up Saw Palmetto for Mr. Smith’s prostate and Echinacea to help Mrs. Smith fight off colds.

In the meantime, an online counter-movement to H.R. 3156 has begun. If you are the activist type and have a passion for vitamins and herbs, you can go to websites such as www.SaveOurSupplements.org or www.HealthActionCenter.org and read more about H.R. 3156. These sites even have forms where you can contact Mrs. Davis and let her know how you feel. I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.

The Bigger Picture

The point of this article is not to give credence to H.R. 3156, nor to plug the anti-bill movement. The bigger picture is what this debate says about American culture and the importance we now place on dietary supplements in making our healthcare decisions.

It seems that not only are Americans using supplements of their own choosing, but they feel quite passionate that these products are vital to their health. Baby boomers, in particular, are determined to not grow old gracefully and are choosing to live better for longer by improving their dietary intake.

This speaks volumes about how far Americans have come in empowering themselves to make their own health care decisions. My guess is that’s one privilege that we will never have to surrender.

So, to answer the question: no, you will never need a prescription to get your Vitamin C. Rest easy, Dr. Pauling.

For further information on this topic, you may contact Dr. Parkerson at 770.952.5353, by email at Parkerson@humberparkerson.com, or visit our clinic on the web at www.HumberParkerson.com.

The Highest Level is the monthly e-mail newsletter of the Humber Parkerson Clinic and is designed to empower our patients and the general public to make informed decisions on issues of nutrition, lifestyle, and spinal care. To receive The Highest Level each month, e-mail your request to HighestLevel@humberparkerson.com.

© Humber Parkerson Clinic 2005

October 2005 Issue of The Highest Level

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