by Brad Kelechava
Many Americans depend upon dietary supplements to fortify their nutritional intake. According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), “3 out of every 4 American consumers take a dietary supplement on a regular basis.” Unfortunately, the connection between the consumer and the benefits of dietary supplements isn’t always clear. In some cases, supplements have been found to contain ingredients that are harmful to consumers and in others unsubstantiated claims have been made about their ability to treat health conditions. All of this erodes consumer confidence in the dietary supplements market.
Voluntary consensus standards and related conformance systems help to assure safety and quality in dietary supplements as a component of industry self-regulation and an adjunct to the regulatory framework. As the voice of the US voluntary consensus standards system, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is playing a key role in bringing together stakeholders to dialogue on this issue. In December 2018, ANSI and the Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA) hosted a Dietary Supplements Stakeholder Meeting in Washington, D.C. on how to advance the quality and safety of products marketed in the United States.
ANSI is convening a follow-up Dietary Supplements Standardization Coordination Meeting to continue this discussion on May 13, 2019. Any interested stakeholder (e.g., manufacturers, retailers, government agencies, trade and professional associations, and consumer advocates) can attend. Read more at the ANSI Blog: Dietary Supplements Standardization – How ANSI is Striving for Safety and Quality