MEPs within the European Parliament wants to challenge a decision from EFSA to authorise a health claim on baby milk.
The claim was authorised by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in December 2010. Some MEPs in the European Parliament as well as health NGOs believe that there is not enough scientific evidence to support the claim.
Glenis Willmott MEP (S&D, UK) is currently working on a European Parliament resolution that could stop this potentially misleading claim.
The EU Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health approved, last December, a health claim for baby milk products according to which: “milk containing DHA will improve children’s eyesight”.
The European Food Safety Authority authorised this claim, however reviews of the evidence fail to determine evidence that there is a causal link between DHA provided via supplements in this form improve eyesight, but rather that its presence in breast milk contributes to eyesight development.
As this is part of the Comitology Procedure – Regulatory Committee with European Parliament Scrutiny – Glenis Willmott MEP (S&D, UK) plans to instigate a full debate in the ENVI Committee and gather a majority of MEPs to challenge EFSA’s decision as potentially misleading and a marketing claim rather than an evidence-based decision. Glenis Willmott MEP, together with Daciana Sarbu MEP (S&D, Romania), Nessa Childers MEP (S&D, Ireland) and Karin Kadenbach (S&D, Austria) drafted a motion for a resolution to be voted on by the ENVI Committee on 16 March 2011.
Being in line with our existing policy and work on transparency and emphasis on the importance of using independent scientific evidence, EPHA supports the action of Glenis Willmott MEP in the European Parliament and will let you know about the latest developments of the dossier.
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For further information:
EPHA position on the Regulation
EPHA related articles:
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