Supplements: Making America healthier for decades

EXCERPTED FROM PRESIDENT & CEO STEVE MISTER’S ADDRESS TO INDUSTRY AT CRN’S CONVERGENCE ‘25

“The dietary supplement industry has always placed our consumer first. It has always asked how it can improve the health and nutrition of our customers. It’s one of the things that attracted me to CRN 20 years ago.

And since then, I have seen our members advocate for mandatory adverse event reporting and mandatory listing—issues that are more about protecting our consumers than ourselves.

I’ve watched your commitment to self-regulation, imposing requirements on yourselves beyond what’s mandated by the law so consumers can have assurance of safe products and appropriate labeling.

I have seen you defend your customers’ right to access safe products; I have watched you champion nutrition for everyone; and observed your investments in consumer education.

We’ve been about Making America Healthy all along. And if I can borrow a line from the country music song, (with apologies to Barbara Mandrell):

We were MAHA even when MAHA wasn't cool.

And when you think about our recent requests of the Administration and Congress, it’s still about protecting our consumers:

Getting supplements recognized as qualified medical expense for FSAs and HSAs—so that more consumers can stretch their dollars and make their health regimens more affordable.

Improving FDA’s inspection efficiency, creating a supplement registry, directing investigation priorities towards facilities with the most risk, and cracking down on unlawful products—all to assure our consumers of safe products.

Preventing states from imposing misguided age restrictions on our products so that consumers have access to safe and beneficial supplements.

So I would suggest we are much more aligned with the mission of Making America Healthy than we have been given credit for.”