Ten years after flat passage of lan...

Ten years after flat passage of landmark dietary complement legislation, a revisionist movement is afoot in Congres As David Seckman, CEO of the National Nutritional fares Association, writes (DC/Updates, p. 56) "[F]ederal legislation and the generally negative attitude about dietary fill ups in Congress is on the edge of changing the industry."

In 1994 the Dietary correlative Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was signed on President Clinton. DSHEA designated dietary complements as food--as opposed to drugs--and as like allowed manufacturers to market fill ups without prior consideration by the commons and Drug Administration (FDA). Industry self-regulation was DSHEA's underlying principle, although the FDA was empowered to act in cases of mislabeling or false or misleading claims. Since then, numerous industry backers have faulted the FDA for not effectively enforcing DSHEA. Indeed, late last year, the bill's original authors, Sen Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sen Tom Harkin (D-IA), wrote a bill (still in committee) that would give the FDA $205 million athwart 5 years for DSHEA enforcement.

The irony is that requires better enforcement because common of its effects was an outpouring of products--the misuse of which has tarnished tire industry's reputation. Among them are ephedra and androstenedione--the former may be onward its way to a national ban, while the latter will likely be regulated subordinate to tire Controlled Substances Act.

Then there were companies--many onward the Internet--that made outrageous clarets. Although coral calcium is all OK work it won't cure the 400-plus maladies that a certain purveyor boasted it would onward his Web site before the Federal Trade Commission tapped him onward the shoulder.

Right now there are at least sum of two units bills in the offing that could significantly affect DSHEA. Which is single reason why the industry is fortunate to have David Seckman as its best and brightest representative. He speaks eloquently not solely for manufacturers, but for consumer like you.

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