Whenever I give talks on natural medications (herbs, vitamins, and supplements), whether to healthcare professionals or laypersons, people seem shocked to learn that these substances are virtually unregulated in the United States. I’ve written about the many problems this causes healthcare professionals and consumers in my book, Alternative Medicine: The options, the claims, the evidence, how to choose wisely. So, I was very happy to read an AP article reporting “Stricter government oversight of dietary supplements is moving closer, thanks to an agreement among senators to include guidelines in” the Dietary Supplement Safety Act.
The report says that in a letter sent to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) outlined “four key areas of ‘common ground,'” two of which include “requiring all dietary supplement manufacturing, processing, and holding facilities to register with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,” and “giving the Food and Drug Administration authority to issue a mandatory recall order if a dietary supplement is adulterated or misbranded.”
I hope they are successful. If so, it will go a long way toward protecting consumers from the deceptive practices and advertising used by some manufacturers or natural medications.