“Dietary supplements in the U.S. are regulated products subject to manufacturing, labeling, marketing, and adverse event reporting rules established and enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. Today’s American Medical Association (AMA) call for more stringent regulation and more FDA enforcement has many parallels to calls from the supplement industry — including members of the Consumer Healthcare Product Association (CHPA) — who believe DSHEA needs to be modernized and strengthened.
“More than 25 years after the passage of DSHEA, the dietary supplements market has outgrown and outpaced the regulatory framework. Modernization is an important public health issue as bad actors continue to sell adulterated or misbranded dietary supplement products. CHPA is also advocating for increased resources for FDA to support more enforcement and new regulatory tools. Improvements such as mandatory product listing and other modernizations can help FDA to quickly identify and remove potentially hazardous and adulterated products from the market while also ensuring products meet quality standards. We look forward to collaborating with FDA and other stakeholders, including AMA, on proposals to enhance quality and oversight.
“When used appropriately, dietary supplements can play an important role in personal healthcare by filling nutritional gaps, supporting certain condition-specific needs, promoting healthy body functions, and contributing to overall wellness. Consumers should always carefully read Supplements Facts labels for ingredients and instructions for use. Labels must bear appropriate ingredient and nutrition information and should not claim to treat or cure diseases. Consumers should always seek out reputable companies and be wary of supplements that make claims which are ‘too good to be true’. Learn more from the CHPA Educational Foundation.”
