The conference, themed “Collaborate, Innovate, and Regenerate,” featured industry leaders and expert panelists who explored global sustainability and innovation, addressing critical topics like supply chain challenges, political influences, and emerging threats to the planet’s health and humanity’s future.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Organic & Natural Health Association (Organic & Natural Health) is calling on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Senate Finance Committee to support the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). The organization asserts that HHS leadership must align with principles of transparency, accessibility, traceability, and continuous quality improvement to drive meaningful healthcare reform.
“Serious change needs to occur if we are to address the underlying reasons for the epidemic of chronic health disease. All voices need to be evaluated and heard,” said Karen Howard, CEO and executive director of Organic & Natural Health. “Pharmaceuticals have done much to transform the health and well-being of people, but our system does not account for the power of nutrition, supplementation, lifestyle changes, and consumer education.”
Organic & Natural Health contends that the current healthcare system prioritizes disease treatment over prevention, failing to recognize the cost savings of proactive health measures. Programs that prevent chronic disease are seen solely as expenses, and dietary supplements remain ineligible for reimbursement under Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) plans. The organization highlights deficiencies in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which does not allow purchases of essential nutrients such as vitamin D3 or medical foods for disease management. Additionally, the lack of collaboration on environmental health factors, such as clean water, air quality, and pesticide use, highlights the need for reform.
“The financial model of our healthcare system is fundamentally flawed,” said Howard. “There is no money to be made in teaching people how to eat well, or in preventing disease. Government budgets do not score savings from prevention strategies, only the costs of disease management. True reform requires bold leadership that is committed to transparency and willing to challenge the status quo.”
Organic & Natural Health also recognizes the intersection of the Department of Agriculture and HHS in shaping public health policy. The organization views Kennedy’s leadership as pivotal in fostering collaboration and addressing systemic challenges in healthcare and nutrition policy.
At its annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 22, Organic & Natural Health hosted political strategist Dick Morris, a former advisor to President Bill Clinton and an advisor to President Donald Trump. After a robust exchange of ideas regarding how to improve the safety of the agriculture and food system, Morris emphasized the opportunities for the natural health industry within the new administration.
The organization will continue these discussions through its “Table of Truth” salon series, private dinner events held in conjunction with major industry conferences throughout the year. These dinners will facilitate dialogue among industry leaders on transparency, supply chain integrity, environmental health, and public policy, with the goal of advancing consumer and corporate responsibility in health and wellness.
Organic & Natural Health is dedicated to driving policy change that prioritizes prevention, transparency, and consumer health. Industry leaders, brands, and organizations are invited to join the movement and support this mission at https://organicandnatural.org.
A video is available at
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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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