To: IAHF List
Subject: Task Force Finds Little Evidence To Support Use of Vitamin Supplements To Prevent Cancer or Heart Disease
From: IAHF.COM
Date: 5 Jul 2003 02:34:01 -0000
IAHF List: See the outrageous government report from the so called "Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality" below my comments.
This junk science report hit the UPI wire service on June 30 and was picked up by newspapers world wide.
File it under "another oily attempt to condition the public mind to reject the use of those pesky dietary supplements in favor of patented Rx drugs and to accept coming efforts to ban them globally."
They have a lot of nerve calling this an "independent" task force when it is funded by NIH which has a revolving door with the Cartel. We need an oversight hearing to shut this bogus "agency" down.
This is an effort to condition the public to accept the sort of bans we're seeing come down in Australia and in the EU. Keep in mind that Canada harmonized their laws to Australia on June 18th, and later this summer the FDA will come out with illegal GMP regs for supplements forcing us to sue them.
The illegal GMPs will give FDA the same site licensing weapon used by the TGA to do the Pan recall. Stay tuned. Major conflicts coming on the not too distant horizon.
Press Release Date: June 30, 2003
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (http://www.ahcpr.gov/clinic/uspstfix.htm) today concluded there was insufficient scientific evidence to recommend vitamin supplements as a way to prevent cancer or heart disease and recommended against the use of beta carotene supplements in smokers because of a possible increased risk of lung cancer and death. The Task Force conclusions are based on a review of studies on the use of vitamins A, C, or E, multivitamins with folic acid, or antioxidant combinations to reduce the risk for cancer or cardiovascular disease in adults. These findings are published in the July 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The Task Force is the leading independent panel of private-sector experts in prevention and primary care and is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This marks the first time the Task Force has reviewed studies on the effect of vitamins to reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The Task Force reviewed the results of four clinical trials that found that taking beta carotene did not decrease the risk for lung, prostate, colon, breast, or non-melanoma skin cancer in middle-aged and older adults. Two of these clinical trials found that individuals who take beta carotene and smoke have an increased risk of lung cancer and death.
The Task Force also reviewed both randomized trials and observational studies to determine whether taking vitamins A, C, or E, multivitamins with folic acid, or antioxidant combinations reduced risk of heart disease, stroke or various cancers. The best studies suggested no clear benefit of taking vitamins, but the number and length of the studies was insufficient to rule out possible benefits of long-term vitamin use. Although some of the observational studies suggested possible benefits for some cancers, the Task Force could not determine whether these benefits were due to vitamins or to healthier lifestyles in people who take vitamins. They also did not review evidence on the use of vitamins for patients with known nutritional deficiencies, pregnant and lactating women, children, the elderly, and people with chronic illness. Vitamins may be more appropriate for people in these groups, and the Task Force urges those patients to talk with their clinicians about the potential benefits and harms of using vitamins.
"Vitamin supplements may be necessary for individuals whose diets don't provide the recommended amounts of specific vitamins and especially important for pregnant and nursing women and people with specific illnesses. However, the benefits of vitamin supplements for the general population remain uncertain," said Janet Allan, Ph.D, R.N., vice chair of the Task Force. "There are currently a number of important studies underway which might help answer this important question."
Although most studies reviewed by the Task Force showed that taking vitamins according to the Recommended Daily Allowance does not cause harm, several adverse effects can be caused by taking moderate doses and/or excessive doses of certain vitamins. For example, moderate doses of vitamin A may reduce bone mineral density, and high doses may cause liver damage or in pregnant women, harm to a fetus. The Task Force recommends that patients who take vitamins not take more than the Recommended Daily Allowance and talk to their clinician about the effects vitamins may have on their health.
The Task Force conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of all the scientific evidence for a broad range of preventive services. Its recommendations are considered the gold standard for clinical preventive services. The Task Force based its conclusion on a report from a team led by Cynthia Morris, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Cheryl Ritenbaugh, Ph.D, M.P.H., from AHRQ's Evidence-based Practice Center at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
The Task Force grades the strength of the evidence from "A" (strongly recommends), "B" (recommends), "C" (no recommendation for or against), "D" (recommends against) or "I" (insufficient evidence to recommend for or against screening). The Task Force recommends against the use of beta carotene supplements, either alone or in combination, for the prevention of cancer or cardiovascular disease (a "D" recommendation). The Task Force found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the use of supplements of vitamins A, C, or E, multivitamins with folic acid, or antioxidant combinations for the prevention of cancer or cardiovascular disease (an "I" recommendation).
The vitamin supplementation recommendations and materials for clinicians are available on the AHRQ Web site at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/3rduspstf/vitamins/vitaminsrr.htm. Previous Task Force recommendations, summaries of the evidence, easy-to-read fact sheets explaining the recommendations, and related materials are available from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse by calling (800) 358-9295 or sending an E-mail to ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov. Clinical information is also available from the National Guideline Clearinghouse" at http://www.guideline.gov.
Editor's Note: Please note that AHRQ has moved to the following location:
John M. Eisenberg Building
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 427-1360
For more information, please contact AHRQ Public Affairs: Kristie Smith, (301) 427-1246 (KSmith@ahrq.gov); Farah Englert, (301) 427-1865 (FEnglert@ahrq.gov).
Internet Citation:
Task Force Finds Little Evidence To Support Use of Vitamin Supplements To Prevent Cancer or Heart Disease. Press Release, June 30, 2003. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2003/vitapr.htm
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