Regulation

Bipartisan support for cannabidiol puts FDA, CBD coalitions in spotlight

26-Sep-2023 By Claudia Adrien

Advocates say there’s momentum in Congress to offer regulatory guidance for CBD supplement use.

WHO AI tool to clampdown on infant formula marketing

20-Sep-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe is calling on consumers to use its newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) tool in order to clampdown and regulate the promotion of harmful products targeted at children.

Citizen Petition demands FTC withdraw Notice of Penalty Offense sent to 700 companies

18-Sep-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Earlier this year, the FTC sought to flex its penalty offense authority by issuing compliance reminders to advertisers–but trades say that ‘friendly reminder’ was unlawful.

ODSP’s Cara Welch talks FDA priorities and resources in evolved market

15-Sep-2023 By Asia Sherman

The National Institutes of Health kicked off its annual Office of Dietary Supplements Seminar Series this week with a presentation by Dr. Cara Welch on how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the dietary supplement marketplace.

Call for EU working group to bring harmonisation to probiotic regulation

04-Aug-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

The European Commission has discussed the creation of an EU working group to bring some regulatory harmonisation over use of the term ‘probiotic’ across Member States.

ACI-CRN Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Forum: ‘The whiplash with everything going on this year can be a little disorienting'

05-Jul-2023 By Asia Sherman

The need for certainty and preparedness emerged as crosscutting priorities among the general counsels, regulatory experts and research scientists gathered last week in New York City for the 11th Annual Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Forum on Dietary...

CBD stakeholder’s call: “It’s really in Congress’ hands”

01-Jun-2023 By Danielle Masterson

With the ongoing theme of safety, FDA recently addressed CBD. While offering up several potential scenarios, the Agency said the CBD marketplace ultimately rests in the hands of Congress.

“Regulators floating along on hearsay and misinformation”: Experts defend ashwagandha amid safety concerns

30-May-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

The industry has vehemently rejected a regulatory assessment leading to the ban of ashwagandha in Denmark and defended the ingredient's safety, as an increasing number of member states show concerns.

Accreditation board aims to enhance scientific credibility of supplements

19-May-2023 By Olivia Haslam

A nonprofit accreditation body, Empowered by Evidence (EBE), gave an impassioned presentation to the audience of Vitafoods 2023, calling for companies to promote better standards in industry science.

Trades weigh in on call to clean up dietary supplement industry

31-Mar-2023 By Asia Sherman

In a recent letter to Congress, supplement company Ritual urged lawmakers to clean up a dietary supplement industry that has grown twenty-fold since the enactment of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act nearly 30 years ago.

Ritual urges Congress to clean up the dietary supplement industry

23-Mar-2023 By Asia Sherman

In a letter addressed to the 118th Congress last week, supplement company Ritual is appealing to lawmakers to address key safety and efficacy issues in a bourgeoning dietary supplement industry.

Insights from Probiota 2023

Probiotic players must lobby for change as consumers want transparency and education, experts say

13-Feb-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

Consumers are keen to learn about probiotics and see the word on packaging, but EU regulation still leaves industry's hands tied with no harmonisation and poor institutional education.

Drumroll, please… waiting game continues to plague CBD industry

26-Jan-2023 By Danielle Masterson

Rumors about a big FDA announcement began swirling earlier this week, with the industry bracing for a potential end to a five-year wait on the regulatory future of CBD. But, much like the last few years, CBD professionals were left waiting without answers,...

Whey more powerful: Arla Foods Ingredients receives first Novel Food authorisation

11-Jan-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

Arla Foods Ingredients has received final authorisation from the European Commission (EC) for its Lacprodan beta-lactoglobulin (BLG)-100, making this its first product to receive approval under the new Novel Food Regulations.

Another weight loss sales restriction bill falls victim to gubernatorial veto

03-Jan-2023 By Hank Schultz

The dietary supplement industry dodged another regulatory bullet when New York Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have restricted the sales of some weight management and muscle building products in the state.

New Congress could provide opening for rules that could burnish industry’s reputation, CRN says

22-Nov-2022 By Hank Schultz

A shift in the relative power bases in the US House of Representatives could provide a window to make changes to dietary supplement industry regulation that could help all its players, said Steve Mister, head of the Council for Responsible Nutrition....

Report calls for stricter regulations on reporting of trials to ensure public trust

29-Sep-2022 By Nikki Hancocks

A report discussing the failure of vitamin supplementation trials to report their results and adhere to the EMA regulations has led to a call for stricter regulations on reporting to ensure public trust.

White beetle inspired natural pigment offers replacement for titanium dioxide

28-Sep-2022 By Nicola Gordon-Seymour

Cambridge-based biotech start-up, Impossible Materials, has developed a sustainable cellulose-derived white pigment to replace “unsafe” titanium dioxide (TiO2) across food and pharma industries.

State laws on post-consumer recycled content ‘moving faster than industry’

13-Sep-2022 By Asia Sherman

State-mandated requirements for post-consumer recycled content are coming into force, but is the market ready?

Albuquerque supplements retailer sentenced for performance enhancing drugs

08-Sep-2022 By Asia Sherman

The Department of Justice has sentenced the owner of Albuquerque-based Allstar Nutrition to three years’ probation for selling misbranded performance enhancing drugs.

Coca leaf powder importer dinged over claims without reference to possible cocaine content

07-Sep-2022 By Hank Schultz

An importer of coca leaf powder has been taken to task by the US Food and Drug Administration over disease claims associated with the ingredient. But the warning letter had nothing to say about the products’ legal status.

CRN: Progress being made on MPL provisions in fees bill

04-Aug-2022 By Hank Schultz

Significant progress is being made on a mandatory product listing requirement that the industry can live with, CRN asserts.

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.

FDA slams Delta-8 THC sellers over claims

04-May-2022 By Hank Schultz

FDA came down hard on purveyors of Delta-8 THC and CBD products that were making disease claims on the substances. The Agency also reiterated the reasons it believes Delta-8 is not a suitable ingredient for products marketed as supplements.

FDA vets claim DSHEA gives Agency plenty of authority, some of it little used

18-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

Three former FDA officials said powers granted to the Agency under DSHEA should be fully implemented before modifications of the fundamental regulation of the dietary supplement industry should be considered.

Clif Bar makers agree to modify claims of optimal ingredient blend

12-Apr-2022 By Hank Schultz

The makers of Clif Bar have agreed to cease making certain claims on its products after a ruling by the National Advertising Division.

NutraCast: How the Great Resignation is impacting quality in the dietary supplement space

01-Apr-2022 By Danielle Masterson

The pandemic has changed the mindset of many, with people beginning to value their time more than ever. As a result, people are leaving their jobs in search of more money, more flexibility and more happiness. With millions of workers saying 'I quit'...

Tahitian Noni marketer dinged for disease claims and earnings promises

21-Mar-2022 By Hank Schultz

A network marketing watchdog program has recommended that a distributor of noni-based products cease making certain disease treatment and earnings claims.

Best companies will prevail as CBD market goes through painful winnowing, CEO says

24-Feb-2022 By Hank Schultz

The hemp/CBD market is going through a reckoning but ultimately will emerge in a stronger position, said the head of one of few publicly traded companies in the sector.

Expanding FDA's tool box, fending off state laws among priorities laid out at CRN meeting

21-Oct-2021 By Hank Schultz

CRN president and CEO Steve Mister laid out four priorities for the supplement industry at a meeting yesterday. Among the highlights were to prepare for state based regulations and strengthening self regulation.

Likely new FDA Commissioner's experience seen as plus by industry

15-Oct-2021 By Hank Schultz

Industry stakeholders have welcomed the news that the Biden Adminstration is reportedly ready to name Dr. Robert Califf, MD as the new FDA Commissioner, given that he has prior experience at the Agency during the Obama years.

Second big fine puts firms on notice to get serious about support for Made in USA claims

11-Oct-2021 By Hank Schultz

The Federal Trade Commission has handed down the another substantial penalty this year for a misleading Made in USA claim, underlining the risk such claims can pose to manufacturers if not properly constituted

FDA warns Arizona firm over numerous alleged disease claims

06-Oct-2021 By Hank Schultz

An Arizona supplement marketer has been warned by FDA over claims relating to blood sugar management, stress relief, immunity and more.

FDA issues 10 warning letters in enforcement action on diabetes treatment claims

13-Sep-2021 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued warning letters to 10 companies making allegedly illegal diabetes treatment claims.

Another Blackstone Labs defendant pleads guilty

09-Sep-2021 By Hank Schultz

Another one of the defendants in the Blackstone Labs steroids enforcement action pleaded guilty in a Florida court recently.

NutraCast: SCNM launches graduate degree program ‘for the industry, by the industry’

03-Sep-2021 By Danielle Masterson

Despite being a multi-billion dollar industry, there are no graduate degree programs from accredited academic institutions for executives in the nutrition business sector—until now. The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences...

FDA issues another warning in 10-year fight against sibutramine

30-Aug-2021 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration has sent another warning letter in its decade-long campaign against the use of the weight loss drug sibutramine in dietary supplements.

FDA lists NDI update among priorities for coming year

30-Jun-2021 By Hank Schultz

Publishing a revised version of the NDI Draft Guidance has made a list of FDA priorities for the coming year. Industry observers welcomed the news, but questioned how much impact it might have if enforcement priorities remain as they are.

Science must be specific to products, FTC reiterates In new raft of COVID-19 warning letters

03-May-2021 By Hank Schultz

The US Federal Trade Commission has cited another 30 companies or individuals for making what it characterizes as unsubstantiated COVID-19 treatment claims.

Supreme Court curbs FTC’s ability to levy fines

22-Apr-2021 By Hank Schultz

The Supreme Court ruled today that the Federal Trade Commission can no longer levy fines in the way it has been in recent years.

Trade associations bring pressure to bear against CA bill that would restrict sale of weight management products

20-Apr-2021 By Hank Schultz

A California bill to restrict the sale of weight management supplements has passed a key state legislative committee, increasing its chance eventually becoming law, trade associations have warned.

As a result of GRAS process FDA has no idea of what's on market, say paper's authors

08-Apr-2021 By Hank Schultz

A recent paper claims FDA is in the dark as to how many new ingredients have come onto the market via the GRAS process. Only limited progress has been made in the decade since a Congressional report first raised the issue and directed the Agency to make...

Joining the charge: Netherlands allows 'probiotic' labels

25-Mar-2021 By Nikki Hancocks

The Netherlands Food and Drug Administration has released guidance stating that the term 'probiotic' is allowed on food and supplement labels in the country, as mandatory information that characterises the product.

NPA, others support CA CBD bill while still advocating for federal solution

11-Mar-2021 By Hank Schultz

Yesterday the Natural Products Association testified in favor of a California bill to regulate the CBD trade in that state. NPA and others, however, have reiterated a call for federal legislation that would forestall the growing patchwork quilt of state...