Dietary Supplement Industry

FDA cites four more honey products for knockoff ED drugs

18-Jul-2022 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to four companies marketing sexual enhancement supplements ostensibly based on honey but which contained undeclared ED drugs. The warning letters were part of a ongoing enforcement effort on...

Sen Burr strips out supplement provisions from new FDA user fee bill

15-Jul-2022 By Stephen Daniells

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), the ranking member of the Senate HELP Committee, has introduced a reauthorization of FDA User Fee Programs which does not include dietary supplement provisions.

US ranked high in adoption of alternative therapies

06-Jul-2022 By Hank Schultz

American consumers ranked high in their use of alternative health strategies according a recently published analysis of population cohort studies

Rhode Island supplement sales restriction bill lapses

30-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

A bill to place some restrictions on supplement sales in Rhode Island lapsed when the State Legislature went into its summer recess without voting on the measure.

AHPA urges stakeholders to oppose MPL provisions in FDA fees bill

30-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

The American Herbal Products Association is urging members and stakeholders to contact lawmakers to oppose the mandatory product listing language that has been attached to a ‘must pass’ fee reauthorization bill.

NOW reveals new trick spotted on Amazon to deceive consumers about product quality

28-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

In an ongoing market surveillance program, supplement manufacturer NOW has revealed a new trick spotted on Amazon to deceive consumers about what a product’s testing results actually mean.

Industry stakeholders spar over whether pushing for MPL has been tactical error

16-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

Mandatory Product Listing can still be a good idea for industry, proponents maintain, even if the latest legislative iteration has failed to garner support from stakeholders.

Trade organizations line up against bill that includes new supplement regulations

15-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

Three trade organizations joined forces in opposing the FDA Safety and Landmark Advancement Act of 2022 (FDASLA), a fee authorization bill that includes provisions aimed at tightening dietary supplement regulations.

Taiyo's new certifications align with Amazon, Canadian requirements

15-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

Branded ingredient supplier Taiyo has announced new certifications on its products that will better align them both with new Amazon and Canadian governmental requirements.

Rhode Island supplement sales bill advances in watered-down form

13-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

A bill to restrict some supplement sales has passed the Rhode Island State Senate by an overwhelming vote. The bill remains to be taken up by the state House before the legislature closes shop for the summer on June 30.

New supplement rules tacked on to bill authorizing FDA fees

10-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

Authors of a bipartisan bill to reauthorize FDA user fees have included provisions bearing on dietary supplements, which has stirred up a hornets nest within the industry.

FDA releases consumer resource for supplements

06-Jun-2022 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has released a consumer-aimed education resource for dietary supplements.

Alkemist Labs launches quality program featuring easy to read test results, verification seal for labels

24-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Alkemist Labs has announced a new quality and transparency program featuring validated, simplified test documents that can be shared with clients and customers. It’s the culmination of a seven year development process, the company said.

Mandatory product listing as proposed by Durbin bill is a mirage, Cohen asserts

20-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

A mandatory product listing of the sort proposed in a recent bill sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, would give an illusion of control of the dietary supplement marketplace without better protecting consumers, a prominent industry critic alleges.

Walgreens becomes first to use UL Verified Mark on supplement labels

18-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Global safety certifier UL has announced a new UL Verified Mark will debut on Walgreens brand vitamins and supplements. The new partnership was announced yesterday.

Renewed lockdowns in China creating many short- and long-term effects

17-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Renewed lockdowns in China has thrown another wrench into the global supply of botanical ingredients. But having graduated from the recent school of hard knocks, suppliers are managing to cope, experts said.

FDA cites 10 firms for use of ingredients flagged as illegal

10-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

In a coordinated enforcement action, FDA has sent warning letters to 10 dietary supplement companies using ingredients that have been added to its Ingredients Advisory List.

Nature’s Sunshine joins Usana among firms relying on sales in Asia

06-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Multilevel marketing organization Nature’s Sunshine managed to post a significant revenue increase in its first quarter earnings statement, despite supply chain challenges that caused out of stock situations and an overall net loss.

FSMA guidance on certifying inspectors in foreign markets impacts supplement industry, observer says

03-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA has issued a draft guidance on how to accredit foreign certifying bodies. The document will help clarify a highly technical aspect of the Food Safety and Modernization Act and will remind dietary supplement firms that it’s high time to get their...

Kyowa Hakko benefiting from Kirin’s support post acquisition, CEO says

02-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

Being part of the massive organization Kirin has helped Kyowa Hakko build on its legacy of innovation and quality, according to the division’s new CEO.

Enforcement discretion gives some solace to NAC space, observers say

29-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA’s recently announced enforcement discretion policy on NAC will bring some certainty to the market. But it doesn’t answer all of the questions surrounding the ingredient, which could cause other issues later, experts said.

NPA letter makes comprehensive rebuttal to need for Durbin/Braun listing bill

28-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has sent a letter to Senators Dick Durbin and Mike Braun extensively rebutting assertions made in support of their bill that requires mandatory product listing for dietary supplements.

Durbin’s call for mandatory product listing finds support—and opposition— from industry

27-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

A bill to require mandatory product listing for supplement manufacturers is set for introduction, according a speech yesterday by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL.

Commentary

Is the supplement industry in for a reverse Dr Oz effect?

15-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Senate candidacy of Dr Mehmet Oz, MD, could pose a public relations risk for the dietary supplement industry, as the prominent media personality gets attacked for being a ‘quack’ who has promoted questionable products.

A.I. platform Canomiks partners with startup accelerator

06-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

Canomiks, a startup that filters genomics data through an A.I. platform to drive ingredient development, has entered into a partnership with KiwiTech LLC, an investment platform that provides ‘support ecosystems’ for growth stage companies.

Dr. Low Dog: Mainstream healthcare providers increasingly confused by complex supplement formulas

06-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The success of the supplement industry carries a poison pill within it. A prominent physician told attendees at a recent botanical science conference that the vast number of products and ingredients on the market swamps the ability of mainstream health...

Mary Kay agrees to remove social media posts promising income for distributors

25-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

Mary Kay Inc., a multilevel marketing company that sells cosmetics, personal care products and dietary supplements, has agreed to remove social media posts that imply that distributors can earn significant income with the company.

NPA pushes back against Rhode Island bill that would restrict supplement sales

23-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has testified against a proposed Rhode Island law that would restrict the sale of supplements to minors. The bill could have far ranging implications, NPA warns.

CHPA launches Dietary Supplement Index to help make case for industry in public policy forums

23-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association has launched a tool it calls the Dietary Supplement Index to help inform public policy as it relates to the industry.dietar

Naturopathic foundation, Standard Process team up for interventional trial

22-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

A natural medicine foundation and the supplement manufacturer Standard Process have teamed up to validate how dietary supplements in concert with lifestyle changes can improve health, with the ultimate goal to publish the results in a peer reviewed journal.

FTC adds to repeat offender’s rap sheet with disease claims consent decree

21-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Federal Trade Commission has permanently banned two Texas firms from making diabetes and pain relief claims on the dietary supplements that they market. Kramer Duhon, the firms’ principal, has a long history of fines and enforcement actions against...

CRN’s Mister on NAC: ‘This isn’t a one ingredient issue’

14-Mar-2022 By Stephen Daniells

As the uncertainty around the regulatory status of NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) continues, it is important the industry doesn’t lose this for the precedent it sets for other potential ingredients, said CRN’s Steve Mister.

NPA turns up sports nutrition dial as it names Kalman as science VP

01-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Natural Products Association has increased its capacities in the sports nutrition realm with the appointment of Douglas Kalman, PhD as its new head of scientific and regulatory affairs.

Inflation to hit Herbalife’s growth as it comes out of pandemic sales hangover

25-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

Multi level marketing giant Herbalife has seen sales slow coming out of the pandemic and said that inflation will restrain growth in the coming year.

Russian invasion unlikely to upend botanical supply situation, but finished goods sales could be impacted

24-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

The Russian invasion of Ukraine this morning is expected to have little effect on the supply of ingredients to the dietary supplement industry in the near term. The picture for companies selling finished products within the two countries is less clear.

As many as 18% of troops reported supplement adverse events in survey questioned by expert

04-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

A large survey of supplement use among US military personnel reported as many as 18% of respondents experienced an adverse event. But methodology questions makes it difficult to take those numbers at face value, an expert says.

Guest article

NPA chief says status of NAC, supply chain crisis, activist state legislatures among list of concerns for 2022

07-Jan-2022 By Daniel Fabricant, PhD, CEO and President, Natural Products Association

2021 was another busy year, and I would have expected nothing else for the natural products industry. We witnessed more regulatory and legislative overreach in places that don’t need it and a lack of action from administrators, regulators, and policymakers...

Warning letter signals return of on the ground inspection observations for 2022

04-Jan-2022 By Hank Schultz

A warning letter sent to a dietary supplement manufacturer signals a return of enforcement actions based on on-site inspections, which had been suspended for a time during the global pandemic.

Guest article

AHPA celebrates regulatory victories during year that tested industry's resilience

20-Dec-2021 By By Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)

As the 24th month of 2020 (or so it feels) comes to a close – the herbal and natural products industry continues to adapt to challenges brought on by the global pandemic and move our industry forward. From regulatory progress made virtually to creative...

Belgian brand launches in US; AZ-based marketer secures Sams Club deal

20-Dec-2021 By Hank Schultz

A Belgian supplement brand has launched in the US market with a variety of formulas based on herbs, vitamins, neurotransmitters and more, while another brand has announced broader distribution with Sams Club.

Guest article

Industry needs consensus in 2022, CRN says

16-Dec-2021 By Steve Mister, President and CEO, Council for Responsible Nutrition

As the dietary supplement industry turns the corner to 2022, a range of challenges confronts us— supply chain disruptions, staffing shortages, and inflationary pressures, to name a few. Some difficulties must be addressed individually, but I suggest the...