The FDA regulates both finished dietary supplement products and dietary ingredients, but what exactly does that entail?
Dietary supplements are usually products in the form of pills you take orally to obtain a dietary ingredient.
Sometimes certain dietary supplements cannot be found in regular foods, so the only form is within the supplement. Many dietary supplements contain some type of mineral, vitamin lacking in your normal diet.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website, in October of 1994, Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was signed into law by President Clinton. This law determines the supplements manufactures are providing are distributed safely, have clear written labels and are not misleading.
Even though many products indicate they are "miracles" and guarantee weight loss, it's important to be able to identify the realistic truth behind these claims. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
What are some ways the FDA is regulating the dietary supplement industry?
Dr. Daniel Fabricant, the former FDA's Director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs and currently the Executive Director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA), the nation's largest and oldest trade organization representing the natural products industry, joins Dr. Mike to discuss what the FDA does and does not regulate.
FDA’s Role in Regulating Supplements
Featured Speaker:
Dr. Daniel Fabricant is the Executive Director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA), the nation's largest and oldest trade organization representing the natural products industry.
Most recently, Dr. Fabricant served as the Director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he directed all agency policy, public affairs and regulatory action regarding the dietary supplement industry.
He has a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he has served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy since 2009.
He has also published extensively and is internationally recognized for his regulatory and governmental public health expertise and natural products research.
Dr. Daniel Fabricant is the Executive Director and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA), the nation's largest and oldest trade organization representing the natural products industry.Most recently, Dr. Fabricant served as the Director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he directed all agency policy, public affairs and regulatory action regarding the dietary supplement industry.
He has a Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he has served as an adjunct professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy since 2009.
He has also published extensively and is internationally recognized for his regulatory and governmental public health expertise and natural products research.