CRN President & CEO Steve Mister hit the road in February, visiting with members, prospective members and other stakeholders to discuss three major initiatives under consideration—an industry-administered dietary supplement registry; voluntary good manufacturing practices (GMPs) for botanical raw materials; and a standardized third-party certification process. CRN is spearheading the proposed registry, investigating particulars, seeking support and preparing to take a proposal to CRN’s Board of Directors later this month. Read more.

Nutrition Journal readers took keen interest in an article by CRN consultant Annette Dickinson and CRN’s Duffy MacKay and Andrea Wong, Consumer attitudes about the role of multivitamins and other dietary supplements: report of a survey, making it one of the publication’s ‘Top 10 of 2015.’ The article, published in July 2015, presented data that shows the vast majority of consumers recognize that multivitamins, calcium and/or vitamin D supplements can help fill nutrient gaps but should not be viewed as replacements for a healthy diet, and was one of the top accessed articles that year.

In response to a Wall Street Journal article on potential prescription drug interactions with supplements, CRN submitted a Letter to the Editor offering a simple solution. CRN emphasized that potential risks are greatly reduced when doctors are aware of what supplements a patient is taking, along with prescription drugs. CRN also noted that certain prescription drugs may create nutrient depletions, which could result in the need for supplements, and is urging the reporter to consider that as a potential article. Find out more on CRN’s Members Only website.

The Institute for Organization Management (IOM), the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, has appointed CRN’s Duffy MacKay to its Winter Board of Regents. As a member of this Board, Dr. MacKay will implement the policies created by Institute’s National Board of Trustees to help train other association executives on management practices. Dr. MacKay completed to IOM program earlier this year. Read more in the Chamber of Commerce Foundation press release or on its website.

CRN is forming a working group to review tax policies for the inclusion of dietary supplements in health savings accounts (HSA)/flexible spending accounts (FSA), to develop and refine messages to be used on Capitol Hill, and work to encourage additional co-sponsors for the bills currently gaining support among members of Congress. See more on CRN’s Members Only website, or contact Mike Greene for more information (mgreene@crnusa.org / 202-204-7690).

The Senate Agriculture Committee passed Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) bill/discussion draft that would preempt mandatory GMO labeling laws in the states, such as a new law slated to take effect in Vermont this July. The committee vote was 14–6. The legislation now goes to the Senate for a full vote.

The bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus (DSC) is bigger and better than ever, with the latest new member, Rep. John Moolenaar (D-MI) bringing the count to 39. Founded in 2006, the DSC provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on dietary supplements. DSC educational briefings are held throughout the year to help educate Congressional staff, such as the December 2015 presentation from Rick Kingston, PharmD, putting in context supplement adverse event report data.

“Every time a consumer opens a bottle, pouch or blister pack and puts one of our products in their mouth, we take our place as providers of healthcare—part of a continuum of goods and services that span from prevention to recovery. And, when you stop to think about it, that level of trust demands a level of accountability that surpasses the other characterizations of who we are.”

—from CRN’s Steve Mister’s bylined article in Nutrition Business Journal “The Dark Issue”

What else did CRN have to say?

The industry is buzzing about The Dark Issue, a special edition from Nutrition Business Journal/New Hope. The issue includes content from New Hope’s editorial staff and others in the industry, including CRN’s Steve Mister, on separating the good companies from the bad. CRN members can receive a 10% discount with the code “CRNDARK” at this link. Those who purchase the issue also will receive a code via email for access to the March 30 webinar, "Sizing up the Dark Side: An overview of the NBJ Dark Issue," with Mr. Mister among the presenters.

FDA recently issued guidance for industry—Nutrient Content Claims; Alpha-Linolenic Acid, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, and Docosahexaenoic Acid Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Small Entity Compliance Guide. The guidance, developed to assist small entities in complying with a final rule published in April 2014, provides background on the statute and details on ensuring compliance. See ‘For Your Regulatory Info’ on CRN’s website for more regulatory updates.

CRN applauds Senate confirmation of FDA Commissioner

CRN welcomed the Feb. 24 Senate confirmation of Robert Califf, M.D., as U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner with a statement from President & CEO Steve Mister. CRN expressed confidence that the agency head will be fully committed to enforcing the laws and regulations for our industry that help protect consumers and “continue the agency’s recent enforcement actions taken in conjunction with the Department of Justice to help rid the marketplace of the most egregious companies defaming our industry and posing the highest risk to consumers.”

New research published in JAMA Ophthalmology online suggests vitamin D may play a significant role in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in certain populations. The Carotenoids in Age-related Eye Disease Study (CAREDS) analyzed data on vitamin D levels and AMD from 1,230 women aged 54 to 74. Women who were deficient in vitamin D were 6.7 times more likely to develop AMD than women with adequate levels of the vitamin. See study abstract.

See CRN's Research Watch for more studies.

Does your company have a SupplySide Storefront?

SupplySide Storefronts enables a year-long business connection during the days the industry events SupplySide West, Ingredient Marketplace and Vitafoods aren't taking place. It allows for the tens of thousands of buyers who are looking for ingredients, suppliers and solutions to find and connect with suppliers by requesting quotes, visiting their websites, downloading whitepapers, and viewing ingredients and solutions. Think of each supplier’s SupplySide Storefront as you would think of a booth at SupplySide West—a place where you can find the ingredients and solutions to bring your next great product to life. Find out more.

CRN’s Steve Mister, Carl Hyland and Mike Greene at Natural Products Expo West, CRN Board meets March 17, and more.

MARCH 7–10
2016 National PAC Conference
Miami Beach, FL
—Wroblewski

MARCH 9–13
Natural Products Expo West
Anaheim, CA
—Mister (presenting on March 9); Greene; Hyland

MARCH 13–17
Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting and ToxExpo
New Orleans, LA
—Griffiths

MARCH 14–15
CHPA Annual Executive Conference
Aventura, FL
—Mister

MARCH 16
CRN Executive Committee Meeting
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

MARCH 17
CRN Board of Directors Meeting
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

MARCH 29–31
USP Dietary Supplements – Herbal Medicines Expert Committee Meeting
Rockville, MD
—Griffiths

MARCH 30
Government Relations Committee Teleconference
Washington, DC
—Greene; Lebert; Wroblewski

APRIL 2–6
Experimental Biology / American Society of Nutrition Annual Meeting
San Diego, CA
—Griffiths; Wong

APRIL 12
CRN Communications and Media Outreach Committee In-person Meeting
Washington, DC
—Blatman

APRIL 13–15
State Government Affairs Council National Summit
Portland, OR
—Greene

APRIL 14
Dietary Supplement Caucus Educational Lunch Briefing
Washington, DC
—Mister; Lebert; Wroblewski

APRIL 25–29
International Alliance of Dietary Supplement Associations (IADSA) Annual Meeting
Prague, CZ
—Griffiths (presenting)

APRIL 26–27
NTP Workshop: Addressing Challenges in the Assessment of Botanical Dietary Supplement Safety
Bethesda, MD
—MacKay; Wong

APRIL 27–29
Ingredient Marketplace
Orlando, FL
—Mister; Hyland

MAY 5
CRN Regulatory Summit
Bethesda, MD
—MacKay; Griffiths; Wong; Nguyen

MAY 10–12
Vitafoods Europe
Geneva, Switzerland
—Hyland

MAY 11–23
Democratic Attorneys General Association
Boston, MA
—Al-Mondhiry

MAY 23–25
National Association of Attorneys General Spring Consumer Protection Meeting
Washington, DC
—Al-Mondhiry

MAY 24–25
CRN Communications and Media Outreach Committee
In-Person Meeting
New York City
—Blatman; Powers; Weindruch; Eischen; Lewis

JUNE 1
USP Dietary Supplements Stakeholder Panel
Rockville, MD
—Griffiths

JUNE 7
CRN Executive Committee Meeting
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

JUNE 8
CRN’s Day on the Hill
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

JUNE 9
CRN Board of Directors Meeting
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

JUNE 27–29
CRN/ACI Legal & Regulatory Conference
New York City
—CRN Staff

SEE FULL CALENDAR FOR 2016, WITH DATES BEING ADDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR