Editing Codex Alimentarius (section)

==Classification of supplements and additives==
In 1996 the German delegation, sponsored by three German pharmaceutical firms, put forward a proposal that no herb, vitamin or mineral should be sold for preventive or therapeutic reasons, and that supplements should be reclassified as drugs.<ref name="guardian.co.uk">[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2002/sep/14/medicineandhealth.lifeandhealth 'Health supplements: R.I.P.'. The Guardian newspaper, UK.] Published 14 September 2002. Accessed 2 August 2008</ref> The proposal was agreed, but protests halted its implementation.<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/> The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was subsequently held July 4–9, 2005.<ref>{{cite report |date=2005 |title=CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION, REPORT OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH SESSION, Rome, 4 – 9 July 2005 |url=https://www.fao.org/3/a0214e/A0214E00.htm |isbn=92-5-105405-3 |publisher=Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme |access-date=27 November 2022}}</ref> Among the many issues discussed were the ''Guidelines for [[Vitamin]] and Mineral [[Dietary supplement|Food Supplements]]'',<ref name="codexalimentarius.net">[http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/standards/10206/cxg_055e.pdf Codex Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements]</ref> which were adopted during the meeting as new global safety guidelines: The guidelines state that "people should...be encouraged to select a balanced diet from food before considering any vitamin and mineral supplement. In cases where the intake from the diet is insufficient or where consumers consider their diet requires supplementation, vitamin and mineral [[food supplement]]s serve to supplement the daily diet."<ref name="codexalimentarius.net"/><ref name="un2005">{{cite web|title=UN commission adopts safety guidelines for vitamin and food supplements|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=14974&Cr=codex&Cr1|publisher=United Nations News Centre|access-date=17 September 2012|date=11 July 2005}}</ref>

The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has said that the Guidelines call "for labelling that contains information on maximum consumption levels of vitamin and mineral food supplements". The WHO has also said that the Guidelines "ensure that consumers receive beneficial health effects from vitamins and minerals".<ref name=un2005 />

In 2004, similarities were noted between the EU's [[Food Supplements Directive]] and the Codex Alimentarius draft guidelines for vitamin and mineral supplements.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nil by mouth|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/feb/29/health.shopping|publisher=The Observer, Guardian UK|access-date=17 September 2012|author=Rose Shepherd|date=29 February 2004}}</ref>