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Vail Daily letter: Fully regulated

Mike Keaton
Vail, CO, Colorado

Regarding Dr. Drew Werner’s recent “Dear Doc” column, “Separating fact from fiction when it comes to ‘natural’ medicines,” please be aware that dietary supplements are, in fact, fully regulated by the government as a unique category of food under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates the safety, manufacturing, and labeling of supplements, while the Federal Trade Commission has primary responsibility for regulating the advertising of these products.

The FDA exercises a pre-market approval process for any new ingredient intended to be marketed as a supplement, and these ingredients must first pass FDA scrutiny for safety and truthful label claims. Claims made about supplements must be truthful and non-misleading, or the FTC will levy heavy fines. I’ve attached an overview of the regulations for dietary supplements.



It’s worth noting that dietary supplements are used by half of all Americans to promote their health. While consumers should check with their doctor before taking any supplements, they should rest assured that dietary supplements are both safe and well-regulated by the government. The U.S. supplement industry also has an excellent safety record.

For future stories about dietary supplements and natural products, we at the Natural Products Association would be happy to act as your resource for accurate information about these products. If you have any questions, please let me know.

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Mike Keaton

Communication Manager, Natural Products Association


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