National Health Federation
Encyclopedia
The National Health Federation is an international health freedom
non-profit organization
which describes its mission as protecting individuals' rights to use dietary supplement
s and alternative therapies
without government restriction. The NHF also opposes public health measures such as water fluoridation
and childhood vaccine
s. The Federation has official observer status at meetings of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international body on food standards. Based in California
, the Federation's board members include medical doctors, scientists, therapists and consumer advocates of natural health.
organization, the National Health Federation was founded in 1955 by Fred J. Hart
, a marketer of radionics
devices. Hart founded the NHF after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration compelled his company to cease marketing untested devices for medical treatment. Over the years, the Federation has engaged itself in a wide variety of natural health-related campaigns. According to its website, the NHF fought and won the battle for mandatory inspection of poultry, coordinated a drive to help chiropractor
s become legally licensed in the United States, waged a campaign against water fluoridation
, and advocated legislative recognition of acupuncture
in the United States.
The Federation began producing expos in the early 1980s.
In the 1990s, the Federation lobbied to pass the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which allowed dietary supplement
s to be sold without prior testing for safety or effectiveness. The organization has also fought malathion
spraying, promoted claims that vaccines were dangerous
, and continues to oppose water fluoridation
. In recent years, the Federation’s activities have become more international in scope and it has focused on controversies surrounding the Codex Alimentarius
.
and legislation.
(EU) accepts the outcome of a referendum in Ireland
on the Lisbon Treaty.
Health freedom
The term health freedom movement is used to describe a loose coalition of organizations, consumers, activists, alternative medicine practitioners and producers of products around the world who are campaigning for unhindered freedom of choice in healthcare...
non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
which describes its mission as protecting individuals' rights to use dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
s and alternative therapies
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
without government restriction. The NHF also opposes public health measures such as water fluoridation
Water fluoridation
Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water has fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by adding fluoride...
and childhood vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
s. The Federation has official observer status at meetings of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, an international body on food standards. Based in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the Federation's board members include medical doctors, scientists, therapists and consumer advocates of natural health.
History
The world’s oldest health freedomHealth freedom
The term health freedom movement is used to describe a loose coalition of organizations, consumers, activists, alternative medicine practitioners and producers of products around the world who are campaigning for unhindered freedom of choice in healthcare...
organization, the National Health Federation was founded in 1955 by Fred J. Hart
Fred J. Hart
Fred J. Hart - American farmer, businessman, active in the field of radionics, established National Health Federation....
, a marketer of radionics
Radionics
Radionics is the use of blood, hair, a signature, or other substances unique to the person as a focus to supposedly heal a patient from afar. The concept behind radionics originated in the early 1900s with Albert Abrams , who became a millionaire by leasing radionic machines which he designed...
devices. Hart founded the NHF after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration compelled his company to cease marketing untested devices for medical treatment. Over the years, the Federation has engaged itself in a wide variety of natural health-related campaigns. According to its website, the NHF fought and won the battle for mandatory inspection of poultry, coordinated a drive to help chiropractor
Chiropractor
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges , "focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to...
s become legally licensed in the United States, waged a campaign against water fluoridation
Water fluoridation
Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water has fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by adding fluoride...
, and advocated legislative recognition of acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
in the United States.
The Federation began producing expos in the early 1980s.
In the 1990s, the Federation lobbied to pass the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which allowed dietary supplement
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
s to be sold without prior testing for safety or effectiveness. The organization has also fought malathion
Malathion
Malathion is an organophosphate parasympathomimetic which binds irreversibly to cholinesterase. Malathion is an insecticide of relatively low human toxicity, however one recent study has shown that children with higher levels of organophosphate pesticide metabolites in their urine are more likely...
spraying, promoted claims that vaccines were dangerous
Vaccine controversy
A vaccine controversy is a dispute over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, or safety of vaccinations. Medical and scientific evidence surrounding vaccinations generally demonstrate that the benefits of preventing suffering and death from infectious diseases outweigh rare adverse effects of...
, and continues to oppose water fluoridation
Water fluoridation
Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth decay. Fluoridated water has fluoride at a level that is effective for preventing cavities; this can occur naturally or by adding fluoride...
. In recent years, the Federation’s activities have become more international in scope and it has focused on controversies surrounding the Codex Alimentarius
Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, food production and food safety. Its name derives from the Codex Alimentarius Austriacus...
.
Health Freedom News
Health Freedom News is the Federation’s quarterly magazine. It is edited by Scott Tips. First published in June, 1982, the magazine is a continuation of earlier journals of the Federation, with different names (e.g., Public Scrutiny), dating back to the 1950s. Various topics and subjects are covered in each of the issues, including but not limited to nutrition, alternative forms of healthcare and well-being, health freedomHealth freedom
The term health freedom movement is used to describe a loose coalition of organizations, consumers, activists, alternative medicine practitioners and producers of products around the world who are campaigning for unhindered freedom of choice in healthcare...
and legislation.
Political activities
The Federation has collaborated with European consumer organizations and political parties in a campaign demanding that the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(EU) accepts the outcome of a referendum in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
on the Lisbon Treaty.
External links
- TheNHF.com - National Health Federation website