After a grand reveal at The Conference, the Supplement OWL has moved beyond the first round of beta-testing and is now accepting product labels from all members of the industry. Tier 1 of the game-changing, industry-wide product registry will launch publicly in early 2017, and CRN urges companies to enter labels as soon as possible to ensure a robust compilation of product information when it becomes available to consumers. For information on the registry and how to get started entering your company’s labels, visit the Supplement OWL’s landing page.

A record number of dietary supplement and functional food company executives convened last week in Dana Point, California, for The Conference, CRN’s annual symposium. The theme, “Building Momentum,” captured the atmosphere of the event as initiatives that not so long ago were nascent ideas are now gaining traction and demonstrating success—from revealing the new Supplement OWL registry to a sneak peak at CRN’s new website and a preview of a consumer campaign coming in 2017. The event also celebrated CRN’s partnership with the National Advertising Division, now in its tenth year, with more than 270 cases in the books. Attendees heard from FDA Office of Dietary Supplements chief Steven Tave in addition to a diverse slate of business and marketing experts, political pundits, and of course, the CRN staff. Just prior to The Conference, CRN’s “day of science,” The Workshop, also drew an unprecedented number of participants. Check out the special CRN Events Supplement to review highlights, or see what you missed!

The 2016 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements revealed a significant increase in the number of Americans using dietary supplements—more than 170 million, or 71 percent. Noting the multivitamin, vitamin D, vitamin C, calcium, and vitamin B/B complex as the most popular supplements among those surveyed, the results indicated that millennials (those aged 18–34) are the fastest growing group of supplement users. Reflecting a high level of confidence and trust in the industry (85 percent of U.S. adults and 96 percent of supplement users), the survey cited filling nutrient gaps and energy support as the top reasons Americans use supplements. In its seventeenth consecutive year, the CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements serves as the leading resource for statistics on usage of and confidence in dietary supplements.

For more information on the survey and its results, contact Nancy Weindruch (202-204-7684).

CRN's Duffy MacKay and Judy Blatman represented the association at the Academy of Integrated Health & Medicine (AIHM) Annual Conference, held Oct. 30–Nov. 3 in San Diego, California. In a presentation entitled “Dietary Supplements & Natural Products in Clinical Practice: Legal & Regulatory Considerations,” Dr. MacKay discussed the ways in which healthcare practitioners “are stakeholders when it comes to supplements.” Pointing to regulatory actions such as the new NDI draft guidance, Dr. MacKay noted “[the voices of] healthcare practitioners are incredibly valued by regulators” as he shared best practices and practitioner obligations when it comes to dietary supplements.

The Puerto Rico Department of Health issued a hearing notice regarding a new proposed regulation to replace Administrative Order (AO) 346. AO 346 would have created registration fees on dietary supplement sand other natural products along with manufacturers, distributors and retailers of these goods. The Order would have harmed companies, raised prices, and inappropriately limited consumer access to popular and beneficial supplements in the commonwealth. After rescinding AO 346, the Department now proposes a new round of hearings to consider the fees, which CRN and a coalition of local retailers in Puerto Rico continue to oppose. CRN has requested a fifteen-day extension to submit comments and will circulate the finalized copy to members when completed.

For more information, contact Ingrid Lebert (202-204-7699).

So are we! Join CRN on Nov. 16 for a free webinar analyzing the results of this unprecedented election, changes in the Dietary Supplement Caucus, and CRN’s legislative objectives for 2017. No matter on which side of the political spectrum you rest, this is a webinar you don’t want to miss. After you vote on Nov. 8, register for this essential overview and prepare for the year to come.

For more information, contact Anthony Wroblewski (202-204-7677).

Don’t forget to register for CRN-I’s seventh Scientific Symposium, “Optimal Nutrition and the Ever-Changing Dietary Landscape.” Held in Hamburg, Germany on Dec. 2, the symposium will be held in tandem with the Codex Committee on Nutritional Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) meeting. Renowned experts from Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States will discuss supplementation and aging, social and economic trends in nutrition, and other hot topics in the industry. See the CRN-I site for an agenda and more information.

Questions? Contact Maya English (202-204-7687).

CRN’s ITMDC, in consultation with members and other U.S. and Canadian trade associations, submitted comments addressing Health Canada’s “Consulting Canadians on the Regulation of Self-Care Products in Canada” proposal. Previously mentioned in the Sept. 26 issue of The Report, the proposal aims to regulate the entire range of self-care products (i.e., those products directly available without a health care practitioner prescription, which includes cosmetics, over-the-counter drugs and natural health products) with a single continuum of requirements and permissible claims.

For more information, contact Jim Griffiths (202-204-7662).

“We’re always pleased to see data showing Americans are confident in our industry’s products. We were all the more satisfied to see that not only do a majority of Americans have confidence in dietary supplements, but also that a majority of Americans have trust in our industry.”

—CRN’s Judy Blatman in New Hope, “Younger Adults Contribute to Growing Supplement Use in 2016”

What else did CRN have to say?

Back in June, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) visited the Amway Nutrilite Botanical Concentrates facility in Quincy, Washington. Continuing the efforts of CRN members to connect with elected officials and bridge the gaps that exist in their relationships with industry, Amway employees highlighted the good manufacturing practices (GMPs) the company adheres to and demonstrated how regulations governing the industry help to ensure safety.

For more information on connecting with elected officials, click here.

Registration is opening soon for “California’s Proposition 65: Recent Developments in Litigation, Regulation, and Compliance,” a CRN-Informa webinar to be held Dec. 6. California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly known as “Prop 65,” requires businesses to warn residents about significant exposures to chemicals that may cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. This webinar, moderated by Rend Al-Mondhiry, will provide an overview of recent and potential Prop 65 developments to assist dietary supplement and food companies with compliance and help mitigate the risk of litigation. More information is available here.

Highlighting best practices for consumers and healthcare practitioners when selecting dietary supplements for weight management, CRN's Steve Mister led a forum discussion entitled “Supplements for Weight Management and Nutrition: Helping Your Patient Navigate the Marketplace” as part of ObesityWeek, the Obesity Society’s annual conference. Held this year in New Orleans, Louisianna, ObesityWeek is the leading conference focused on the basic science, clinical application, surgical intervention, and prevention of obesity. The event welcomes over 5,000 surgeons, scientists, researchers, physicians, and integrated health professionals from around the globe each year. Mr. Mister's presentation is available here.

Green tea and sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) were shown to have beneficial effects on oxidative stress status in male athletes, according to a study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements. In a randomized, double-blind control trial conducted on fifty-four male soccer players, participants were randomly assigned to three equal groups and received 450 mg/d green tea extract (GTE), 450 mg/d sour tea extract (STE), and 450 mg/d maltodextrin (control group), respectively. After six weeks, athletes who received GTE and STE supplements had significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels, compared with the placebo group. Furthermore, STE supplementation resulted in a significant increase in TAC level, compared with GTE and placebo groups. To read the complete abstract, click here.

See CRN's Research Watch for additional studies.

November 7
Member meetings
Columbus, Ohio
—Mister

November 8
Food Supplements LATAM Regional Forum
Panama City, Panama
—Greene (presenting)

November 9–11
Prospective Member Meetings
Northern California
—Hyland; Mister

November 10
Personal Care Products Council California Emerging Issues Conference
Los Angeles, CA
—Greene (presenting)

November 12–13
RAGA Fall National Meeting
Austin, TX
—Al-Mondhiry

November 14–16
Food Industry Association Executives Annual Conference
Austin, TX
—Greene

November 15–16
Nonprofit Finance & Accounting Summit
Washington, DC
—Khouri

November 16
Dietary Supplement Election Overview Webinar
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

November 29-30
Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG) Winter Meeting
Fort Lauderdale, FL
—Al-Mondhiry

December 2
CRN-I Scientific Symposium
Hamburg, Germany
—English; Griffiths (moderating)

December 5–9
Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU)
Hamburg, Germany
—Griffiths

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

December 8
CRN Board of Directors Meeting
Washington, DC
—CRN Staff

December 8–9
Dietary Supplement Regulation: Labeling and Claims Conference
Alexandria, VA
—MacKay (presenting); Weindruch (presenting)

SEE FULL CALENDAR