From President & CEO Steve Mister
With very heavy hearts, CRN acknowledges the death of former Senator Orrin Hatch. Senator Hatch passed away on Saturday at the age of 88. He was the longest serving Republican Senator when he retired in 2018.
Senator Hatch was a tremendous statesman and champion for the dietary supplement industry. CRN members and dietary supplement consumers owe him immeasurable gratitude for his unwavering support for this industry and his tenacious defense of the ability of consumers to make their own decisions about their health regimens and to have access to these products. It is no overstatement to say that the industry as it exists today was brought into being by Senator Hatch and his Democratic counterpart, Senator Tom Harkin. The two founding fathers of this industry co-sponsored and championed the Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act of 1994, recognized as the foundational law for today’s supplement industry.
Under DSHEA, the supplement marketplace has grown from a $4 billion to a $56 billion dollar industry. But Senator Hatch was never one to rest on his laurels; he continued to support and defend the industry through co-sponsorship of the law creating mandatory adverse event reporting for dietary supplements in 2006, and gave his support for other initiatives still being debated today, such as including supplements in reimbursable healthcare expenses and establishing mandatory product listing.
Beyond his defense of dietary supplements, Senator Hatch amassed a formidable legislative record and was an influential statesman, forging not just alliances, but deep friendships with those across the political aisle. His willingness to seek compromise and consensus—traits too little in evidence today—are worthy of our emulation. While we mourn his loss and extend our deepest heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends, and staff, we know we are all also much indebted to his legacy.
