STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
COMITÉ PERMANENT DE LA SANTÉ
EVIDENCE
[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
Monday, April 27, 1998
https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/36-1/HEAL/meeting-37/evidence
In April, 1998 Mr. Chuck Roberts, President of Immunotec Research, testified before a select committee of Canadian Parliament about Government regulations concerning the marketing of natural food products, with perceived health benefits, like HMS-90. It is an example of the new category of nutriceuticals, as some in the industry call them. In Canada there are only 2 recognized broad categories for products normally ingested by mouth: foods and drugs. The law is very prohibitive regarding any claims for ‘food’ products and naturally demands much more justification, specification, and regulation in the distribution and use of ‘drugs.’ The United States now recognizes the ‘Nutriceutical’ category.
Immunotec made their presentation with published data, scientific studies and with method of use patents in hand. Only the future will determine when the Canadian Government will allow the third category in Canada. The encouraging part is when the press arrive at the companies headquarters in Quebec seeking to expose unconfirmed medical claims. Once the diligent journalists see the published research reports from reputable medical journals, see the credentials of the investigators, see results of clinical trials and talk with Doctor Bounous and Mr. Roberts, they leave with a new appreciation for a serious company which understands that until the laws and regulations are changed in Canada, it cannot legally make medical claims about their natural ‘food’ product.
Immunotec Research had a marketing decision to make. There were international drug companies negotiating for the distribution rights to a product that qualified for cancer and H.I.V. therapeutic treatment patents. During negotiations senior drug company executives advised Immunotec to find alternative methods of distribution. The marketing and consumer costs of a ‘drug’ category would have meant that the product cost for the average person would have been too high. Dieter Beer who is an Immunotec Research partner and marketing business expert was advised that direct distribution would be a much better avenue.
This method of distribution has allowed the launch of HMS-90 4 years ago through a system of individuals and small businesses who represent the companies best interests and the distribution of information about the company and it’s products. This has proven to be a perfect solution to the ‘drug’, ‘food’ dilemma as it now exists. The result is availability of a world class health maintenance product at a very low cost. The ethical side of the Immunotec decision is that the average person has access to a scientifically, medically proven, health maintenance product at an affordable cost.
This is a saving to the existing Health Care system because of a few factors. There is no Doctor cost to prescribe the product. There is no cost to the O.H.I.P. healthcare resources and funds. And the fact that if people’s Glutathione levels are elevated there will be less sickness, diseases and health care costs. This would also cost employers less sick day payouts. If people are healthier, with less disease they will enjoy a higher quality of life. Traditional drugs have harmful side effects that a person’s body has to deal with. To utilize something that has no side effects and is completely complimentary to conventional treatments from medical Doctors is an intelligent choice for a Naturopathic Doctor to administer and prescribe to their patients.
Historically hospitals were Naturopathic in the way they treated patients. In the past 200 years a change has happened. Drug companies have had a major influence in the training of Doctors and the operations of Hospitals. This has been a financial boom to the drug company industries. History now shows us that antibiotics are not working as well any more. ‘Super’ bugs are now created due to immunity to antibiotics. Traditional drugs are taxing to a person’s immune system. People are looking back to see if the ‘old’ days had any health maintenance aspects being ignored today.
Health food stores are flourishing, alternative health solutions are being published daily in newspapers. People are more informed by what has happened in the past. They can learn what things have caused health distress, sickness, etc. in the past. We can discover information now on the Internet. Currently HMS- 90 is available in 10 gram packages and production can keep up with the current sale demands.
There are about 160,000 people per month using this product. This represents a large group of people who are raising their Glutathione levels in the quest for good health. There are no opposing perspectives of the key stakeholders. Four out of the five company executives came out of retirement to launch Immunotec Research Limited. These stakeholders learned what this product will do for people’s health in a natural way and they support it 100%. Skeptics will have to do their own research about Glutathione.
Many medical and scientific discoveries in the past were not accepted until people were given the tools and proofs needed to be educated. Traditional Canadian hospitals and medical Doctors are closely associated with Pharmaceutical drug companies. I think that it would be very difficult for a natural product to be endorsed and prescribed in Canadian hospitals. This may change in the future.
In the United States Medicare and Medicaid drug plans reimburse the product and there are many medical Doctors that prescribe it and many hospitals encourage the use of it. The ‘Nutriceutical’ category in the United States is the reason for this. One action option is to have HMS-90 prescribed in hospitals by Doctors. This will increase patient’s chances of regaining health and experiencing less adverse effects of traditional drugs. HMS- 90 is complimentary to current drug therapies. HMS-90 will change how medicine is practiced today. Using this product will decrease spending of hospital funds, Doctor resources and medication costs.
Alternative and medical doctors can prescribe this product for their patients. It is just the education process they must go through before realizing the health potential and disease fighting process that happens with elevated levels of Glutathione.
If HMS-90 is endorsed by the conventional medical fields patients may be confused by the simplicity of the product. Patients will need education and information about the product. People will have to start thinking about prevention and be proactive about their health instead of reacting to ongoing health and sickness concerns. Some restrictions are given for prescribing HMS-90. People who have a specific milk protein allergies, those who are in kidney failure, and anyone on immunosuppressive drugs or medications should not take this product without medical supervision. This product is available from a private Canadian company based in Quebec.
The distribution system they have chosen means there will be no inflated product costs because of advertising, warehousing, retail store costs and related traditional marketing methods. The negative side of this is that hospital patients and the general public will not be exposed to it in traditional ways.
Glutathione has an important role to play in the treatment and prevention of hundreds of diseases. Clinical tests show that raised Glutathione levels may address some of the major health issues of our time. Possible clinical applications of high body levels of Glutathione include: Aging, Cardiovascular, Digestive, Toxicology, Infectious disease & Immunology, Cancer, Pulmonary and Metabolic health concerns, burns and many injuries. Glutathione supplies the tools for the body to fight off these threats naturally. An interesting fact is that Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s patients have very low Glutathione levels in their bodies. At autopsy they are found to be about 40% deficient in Glutathione according to information from Doctor Jimmy Gutman.
PubMed has about 95,000 completed studies published about Glutathione and Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s. Naturopathic Doctors act to identify and remove obstacles to healing and recovery, and to facilitate and increase this inherent self-healing process. Naturopathic Doctors share information and knowledge with their patients and encourage self-responsibility for health. And to use methods and medicines which minimize the risk of harmful side effects, using the least force necessary to diagnose and treat. HMS-90 matches the principals of the Naturopathic College and its mandate to help people heal themselves naturally.
Please feel free to review these notable Internet sites
about Glutathione.
http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/fulltext/glut.html
http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/00/slides/3652s1_05/sld001.htm
http://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forum.aspx/cancer-prostate/2225/Glutathione-Its-role-in-Cancer-Anticancer-Therapy
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/aminoacids/pages/glutathione.html
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