In its first week of accepting product labels, the Supplement OWL has already received inquiries from a number of companies looking to be among the first to enter their products in the registry. As the Supplement OWL takes flight, CRN encourages all companies to enter product labels into the registry as it continues on its way to becoming a valuable resource for regulators, retailers, the industry, and ultimately consumers. Once there are a substantial number of product labels incorporated into Tier 1 of the Supplement OWL, it will be launched for public access. Participation in Tier 1 is available at no charge.

For more information on the Supplement OWL and how to get started visit www.supplementowl.org.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has announced that CRN has been named to its Association Committee of 100, a working group comprised of the leading association executives across the country. CRN’s Steve Mister joins the high-profile committee to network, build partnerships, discuss current issues, and represent the association community before the U.S. Chamber’s Board of Directors. This prestigious appointment provides CRN with new opportunities to collaborate in the Chamber’s lobbying and coalition work, to recommend programming, and to strengthen CRN’s own outreach to the business and association communities in order to better serve members and the industry.

Don’t forget to cast your ballot for the CRN Board of Directors! The CRN Board of Directors set policy for the association, guide its direction and determine the future of the industry. Let your voice be heard—all ballots must be received by close of business on Friday, Nov. 25.

For more information on the candidates and casting a ballot, click here (and also available are the manufacturer ballot and supplier ballot). All questions may be directed to Miriam Guggenheim at (202) 662-5235.

On Nov. 30, CRN will launch its new website. The new design and content will enhance the overall user experience and propel CRN’s web presence into the 21st century. While the public site will feature more useful tools for our external stakeholders, the members-only portion will include new sections for committee materials, rosters, and member resources. Be on the lookout for an email introducing you to the new site and the exciting changes taking place.

CRN is well-poised to take advantage of the changes coming in Washington, D.C., and across the country—that was the takeaway theme of CRN’s post-election webinar, held Nov. 16. Free to CRN members, the webinar explored changes to the country’s political landscape. A broad panel of experts examined the ways in which new members of the House, Senate, state governments, and, of course, the Presidency, will influence the industry, and how CRN’s political priorities fit into the national agenda. Separately, a letter from CRN’s President & CEO Steve Mister underscored how CRN is preparing for the new landscape. The slide deck for the webinar is available upon request for CRN members who may have missed it (contact AWroblewski@crnusa.org).

There’s still time to register for CRN-I’s seventh Scientific Symposium, “Optimal Nutrition and the Ever-Changing Dietary Landscape.” Join us in Hamburg, Germany, on Dec. 2 as we hear experts from Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States discuss hot-button industry issues such as supplementation and aging, and social and economic trends in nutrition. Plus, we hear Germany is enchanting in December! See the CRN-I site for an agenda and more information.

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

The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) held its Fall National Meeting Nov. 11–14, welcoming 17 State Attorneys General (AG) and 25 AG staff. Held in Austin, Texas, attendees were given a political update and overview of the 2016 state AG election results, as well as a glimpse of President-Elect Trump’s administration and the role of the state AGs in key policy issues. Rend Al-Mondhiry represented CRN at the event and can be reached at 202-204-7672 with any questions.

Speaking before attendees of the Personal Care Products Council’s (PCPC) Emerging Issues Conference, CRN’s Mike Greene examined the ways in which industries successfully face challenges through effective self-regulation and spoke specifically about the Supplement OWL. Part of a panel discussion, Greene outlined the development of the product registry and the ways in which the game-changing initiative will promote industry transparency, garnering trust and confidence among regulators and, ultimately, consumers.

In preparation for an early 2017 launch, CRN is planning additional presentations on the Supplement OWL for like-minded stakeholders in an effort to raise awareness and promote participation.

“One of the first things when the new Congress comes in will be educating the new members about the industry.”

—CRN’s Mike Greene in Nutraingredients USA, “Despite GOP legislative control, active industry engagement still critical, trade groups say”

What else did CRN have to say?

Join CRN and Informa on Dec. 6, 2–4 pm EST, for a webinar covering California’s Proposition 65. Otherwise known as California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, Prop 65 requires businesses to warn residents about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. Join industry leaders and CRN’s Rend Al-Mondhiry to learn more about current litigation and regulatory environment, potential changes to the safe harbor for lead following the court case Environmental Law Foundation v. Beech-Nut, new chemical listings on the horizon, and other considerations for companies.

For more information or to register, click here.

In a presentation illustrating the benefits of dietary supplements, CRN’s Mike Greene spoke before the Allanza Latinoamericana de Nutricion Responsable (ALANUR) in Panama City, Panama. Focusing on the health regimens of consumers that are at a high risk of experiencing a costly disease-related event, Mr. Greene demonstrated how the use of specific dietary supplements can lead to a positive health care cost savings. The event was well attended, with Latin American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras, and Mexico represented.

Sometimes, it’s worth the wait—a workshop CRN helped sponsor last year to address an evidence-based reference interval for serum total magnesium concentration (STMC)15 has now borne new research. Held in April 2015 in Lowell, Massachusetts, the workshop served as the basis of a new abstract recently published in Advances in Nutrition. The abstract explores data from an array of scientific studies to support the perspective that subclinical deficiencies in magnesium exist, that they contribute to several chronic diseases, and that adopting a revised serum magnesium reference interval would improve clinical care and public health.

CRN has strongly advised FDA to reconsider the tentative decision to reverse its longstanding position that vinpocetine is a legal dietary ingredient. In comments submitted to the agency earlier this month, CRN argued that the proposed action is unprecedented and threatens to undermine the industry’s confidence in the NDI notification process. CRN’s response followed FDA’s tentative conclusion that vinpocetine (1) does not meet the definition of a dietary ingredient, and (2) is excluded from the definition of a dietary supplement in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).

Seventy-five adults with elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to observe fermented garlic extract’s (FGE) effects on mild hepatic dysfunction. The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, placed each participant in one of two groups: an FGE-administered group (n = 36) and a placebo group (n = 39), and received either two sachets/day containing FGEs or placebo over a 12-week period. Significant group x time interactions for serum levels of GGT (F = 3.98, P = 0.022) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT; F = 3.28, P = 0.043) were observed with an improvement in levels of GGT (P = 0.066) and ALT (P = 0.014) in the FGE group compared to that reported for the placebo group.

See CRN's Research Watch for additional studies.

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)

January 10
Public Affairs Agency Presentations
Washington, D.C.
—Mister; Blatman; Weindruch

January 12–18
FoodFluence 2017
Vienna, Austria
—Blatman; MacKay (presenting)

SEE FULL CALENDAR