Over-Regulation Threatens Consumer Supplement Choice

11 Mar 2015 --- Striking a balance between regulation and consumer access to dietary supplements is key to consumers worldwide getting the benefits that safe, quality dietary supplements can contribute to overall health and wellness, says a new article published in the European Journal of Nutrition. The journal article reports from the Council for Responsible Nutrition-International’s (CRN-I) 2014 annual international scientific symposium,and is co-authored by nine of the conference’s speakers.

According to corresponding author Jim Griffiths, Ph.D., vice president, scientific and international affairs, CRN-I, “Over-regulation and/or inappropriate application of current regulations can increase the price of dietary supplements and nutritional products and in turn diminish their use, depriving individuals and societies of their health benefits. CRN-I’s 2014 symposium explored how to ensure that dietary supplements are safe and meet the quality standards that both consumers and regulators expect, while maintaining an open marketplace.”

The report, “A quality dietary supplement: before you start and after it’s marketed—a conference report,” summarizes presentations and outcomes from the CRN-I 2014 symposium held in Brisbane, Australia, last October. It discusses U.S. good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and clarifies the terms “verification” and “validation” and the roles these procedures play in different approaches to risk analysis. The report notes the importance of ensuring supplier compliance with GMPs and product stability and shelf life through audits and adequate regulations. The report also addresses post-market surveillance, including analysis of adverse event reports. The report emphasizes the need for the dietary supplement industry to work collaboratively with national and regional regulators to prevent adulterated goods from entering the supply chain.