Small News/Politics Graphic Dietary Supplement Commission Conducts Final Meeting
by Kate White
From Natural Healthline

At a meeting of the U.S. Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels on March 4, 1997 in Baltimore, MD, nutrition, herbal, and dietary supplement industry representatives testified about the government's regulation of supplement label claims. This was the eighth meeting of the seven-member panel, which began hearings last February. In addition to rancor about federal government control over what to say and how to say it, representatives of several organizations testified concerning the regulation of herbal remedies and the possible use of third parties for the evaluation of dietary supplement label claims.

Some organizations that testified before the Commission did not support the creation of a new regulatory category for herbal remedies, and suggested that the supplement and herbal industry could assist in the evaluation of labels for their products. A few testimonies encouraged the Commission to consider reviewing herbal remedies under the existing over-the-counter drug review process, or suggested the creation of an industry-supported review to assist the FDA in their deliberations concerning botanical remedies.

"We urge the Commission not to blur the food-drug line, a distinction that CRN [Council for Responsible Nutrition] and others have worked years to develop," said John Cordaro, President of CRN. "We vigorously oppose any recommendations that require preclearance or review of labels and label copy."

Many of those who testified emphasized the need for supplement manufacturers to provide "accurate, truthful, and non-misleading information about health claims; nutritional support statements, including structure/function claims, and balanced third-party literature."

Tony Martinez, Esq. of the Nutritional Health Alliance encouraged the Commission to limit the amount of time and categories for the regulation of health information. "Let's do away with our present crazy quilt, regulatory labyrinth that is only further destined to increase costs and confuse the public and keep them in the dark -- ignorant and uninformed" he said in his testimony.

Martinez also made the point that not many federal employees are trained to evaluate health information in the dietary supplement and natural health field, and that more effort needs to be made to train employees, or hire those who have this knowledge. "Too often the natural products industry has been scrutinized by those who lack practical knowledge of the industry and information essential to its consumers," he said.

In a statement prepared by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, (CSPI), Bruce Silverglade, director of Legal Affairs encouraged the Commission to consider herbal remedies as "drugs" whose claims either must be regulated by the FDA, or the establishment of a completely new regulatory framework. CSPI claims to be a non-profit consumer organization whose mandate is "to improve health policies in food safety and nutrition." Silverglade also opposed the appointment of any supplement industry advisors to work with the government on regulatory matters. "The use of such an approach would be akin to permitting the proverbial fox to guard the hen house," he said.

A draft of the final report of the Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels is expected to be released in late April or early May, 1997. The report should contain specific recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the President and Congress concerning the regulations for health claims on natural food products. The general public will then have 45 days to review and make comments, but on technical points only. The recommendations made by the Commission will be final at that time.

For more information, or for copies of the meeting minutes or individual testimonies for all eight meetings, call the Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels Response Center at
(301) 650-0255 or
(301) 589- 6760.

Food and Drug Administration


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