Health hazard?
published: Wednesday | September 21, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

DR. ANTHONY Vendryes' article 'Boost up on supplements', strikes me as reckless and irresponsible. The article mentioned that sometimes the supplements do not contain what the label says it should; they contain other undisclosed substances in addition to what is on the label that may create a health hazard and the active ingredients in a supplement may not be readily absorbed (or bioavailable) by the system and is thus ineffective. On that evidence, how can he recommend supplements? I still believe that a healthy diet provides all the nutrients that the body needs.

Americans are the worst when it comes to health. The country performs the most surgeries when compared to other countries of the world, and they take more vitamins/pills/tablets than any other country. They should not be used as a benchmark for health in any respect.

It would be prudent for Dr. Vendryes to read the book 'Selling Sickness: How the World's Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies Are Turning Us All into Patients' by Ray Moynihan, Alan Cassels.

I am, etc.,

DIANNE SMITH

dianne.a.smith@grace.com

294 Clements Road West

Ontario, Canada

Via Go-Jamaica