Washington, D.C., February 11, 2019 — In response to a statement published by Scott Gottlieb, M.D., Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration on February 11, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, issued the following statement:
Statement by Steve Mister, President & CEO, CRN
“CRN appreciates the commitment of FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb to strengthen the dietary supplement industry and to modernize FDA’s oversight of these products. He clearly shares our respect, both as a doctor and as a consumer, for the power of dietary supplements to improve the lives and health of all Americans, three-quarters of whom already take our products each year. His statement shares our vision to further develop the thriving, innovative and safe marketplace for dietary supplements that, as he so eloquently states, play an important role as ‘we strive to stay healthy,’ and have ‘become a routine part of the American lifestyle.’
We also applaud Dr. Gottlieb’s enthusiasm for rooting out bad actors who put consumers at risk by spiking products with unapproved ingredients or drugs and commend the enforcement actions initiated today to address this critical problem. In conjunction with numerous innovative industry initiatives, CRN regularly calls out bad actors, bad ingredients, and bad products masquerading as dietary supplements. We welcome additional enforcement actions to bring to justice those who would cynically trade on the halo effect of responsible industry to make a quick buck while ignoring the safety and health of consumers. We again call on Congressional appropriators to allocate to FDA the funding required to adequately police this important and growing regulatory beat and for FDA and other federal entities to follow through on tough enforcement.
CRN looks forward to engaging with FDA as we learn more about the specific initiatives Dr. Gottlieb promises. When these new FDA proposals enhance the safety and informed decision making of consumers, improve the health, transparency and innovation of the industry, promote greater practitioner confidence, and do not restrict access or create unwarranted regulatory burdens for industry, FDA will have a willing and enthusiastic partner in CRN and its member companies. As it charts the path forward, CRN urges FDA to consider:
- Achieving clarity on an approved list of pre-DSHEA dietary ingredients;
- Releasing final New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) Guidance that offers protection for innovation and research;
- Furthering the global marketplace through predictable and consistent issuance of certificates of free sale for products at export; and,
- Clarifying the legal path to market for hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) as a food and as a dietary supplement.
As the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) celebrates its silver anniversary, the time is right to dream of an even more vibrant future. CRN imagines that in the next twenty-five years, science-based nutritional products will become universally accepted and trusted as essential choices for consumers to achieve and maintain good health and wellness. The balance DSHEA achieved between preserving consumer access and assuring consumer safety, along with FDA’s appropriate regulatory oversight under DSHEA, have helped make the industry the robust market it is today. Through the commitment expressed today, FDA can make possible an even more vibrant industry tomorrow.”
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 150+ dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics. Visit www.crnusa.org. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
