February 2017

The Short Report | Printable PDF

A topline report from the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN),
the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry

CRN launches ad campaign to promote the Supplement OWL

CRN is investing in a dynamic, six-month ad campaign in industry trade publications to generate awareness of the Supplement OWL, the industry-wide dietary supplement product registry. Launched in January, the campaign features online and print ads in a host of media outlets targeted at dietary supplement product manufacturers and retailers, including Chain Drug Review, Drug Store News and Nutraingredients. The ads drive companies to the OWL’s landing page where they can learn how to upload their product labels into the registry.

The Supplement OWL will serve as a resource for regulators, retailers, and industry stakeholders looking to examine and evaluate labels, ingredients, and other product information. CRN’s Steve Mister will participate in a panel at Expo West in March in Las Vegas where he will stress the value of the Supplement OWL, which is expected to launch publicly in April.

New probiotics best practices guidelines latest in CRN’s self-regulatory efforts

CRN, along with the International Probiotics Association (IPA), recently released scientifically-based best practices guidelines for the labeling, storing, and stability testing of dietary supplements and functional foods containing probiotics. Given the growing popularity of probiotics, the guidelines establish a roadmap for companies producing and marketing these products to ensure they meet consistent, high-quality standards. In addition to providing clarity for consumers, the guidelines benefit retailers and manufacturers alike by raising the bar for the industry.

The probiotic guidelines are the latest in a series of proactive, science-based voluntary guidelines/best practices that CRN has developed as part of its responsible self-regulatory initiatives.

CRN responds to FDA, urges retailers to engage in due diligence

CRN formally submitted comments to FDA in December, applauding improvements to the NDI Draft Guidance and addressing lingering industry concerns, while noting the guidance strays too far from the intent of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).

CRN urges retailers to play close attention to the revised document, released last fall, as it provides clarity on FDA’s thinking with regards to what are (and are not) considered dietary ingredients and when a New Dietary Ingredient Notification should be filed. When a dietary supplement containing innovative ingredients goes to market, retailers should ask questions to ensure that the ingredient fits into one of the established regulatory categories and that an NDI notification has been filed, if required. CRN encourages retailers to work with their manufacturing partners to develop a process that ensures ingredients are reviewed, and that both parties have agreed upon who is responsible for ensuring all ingredients are compliant with the NDI provision of DSHEA.

Sports supplements are safe and should be accessible to consumers, says CRN

Emphasizing the importance of education and an open dialogue for safe supplementation, CRN promptly responded to a new study on creatine use in adolescents, published recently in Pediatrics. In the response, CRN’s Steve Mister warned that proposed restrictive actions, such as placing a product behind the counter, “will only make a product more enticing for the specific population looking to be protected and would unnecessarily limit access and availability for all consumers.”

Mr. Mister stated that sports supplements can play a valuable role in supporting healthy lifestyles in consumers of all ages, and issued a reminder that there are no known safety issues associated with creatine usage, even among children. He further advised that retailers are an important resource for consumers and should continue to facilitate thoughtful discussion among consumers and on-staff pharmacists or other healthcare practitioners.