Intro The supplement Industry makes over 20 billion dollars
every year with over half the population purchasing pills, drinks,
and powders. Unfortunately regulatory agencies like the FDA and FTC
have no power to regulate these products to make sure they are safe
until people become sick or injured from use. Although many
Americans do take supplements to feel healthy, there needs to be
regulation over these products.
Slide 4
DSHEA DSHEA or the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act
was passed in 1994. This Act defined what a supplement is and how
it would be regulated. It set up the supplement industry to be self
regulating. Where supplements cant be tested until people get hurt.
About 150 people died from using Ephedra before it was finally
taken off the shelves. This happened again with the use of OxyElite
Pro which was linked to an outbreak of liver disease and one
death.
Slide 5
Lobbying and Endorsments The FDA attempted to increase
regulation of supplements in the early 90s. This prompted the
industry to create a nationwide PSA saying that the government was
going to take their vitamins and treat them like drugs. The charge
on Washington was led by senators Orrin Hatch and Tim Harkin which
continue to be the largest receivers of funds from supplement
industries.
Slide 6
They Help Keep Me Healthy Over half the population of the US
takes supplements. They say the feel the effects and fell healthier
for taking them. It is also argued in Washington that it is
required by law for these companies to put the ingredients of each
supplement and the ingredients potency on every label. However in a
DNA test done on herbal supplements it was found that one in three
bottles contained no trace of DNA of the plant advertised on the
bottle.
Slide 7
Conclusion Supplements can be dangerous and need to have more
regulations placed upon them. There intended uses are potentially
life threatening however the agencies that normally keep food and
medicine safe have no power to make sure these products are safe
before consumers buy them. The industry is responsible for the
deaths of thousands of people yet millions of people continue to
purchase and use these supplements. The self regulating of the
industry has led some companies to blatantly lie about what they
are selling to the consumer.
Slide 8
Works cited Dickinson, A., et al. "Consumer Usage And Reasons
For Using Dietary Supplements: Report Of A Series Of Surveys."
Journal Of The American College Of Nutrition 33.2 (2014): 176-182.
FSTA - Food Science and Technology Abstracts. Web. 27 July 2014.
Maughan, R. J. "Quality Assurance Issues In The Use Of Dietary
Supplements, With Special Reference To Protein Supplements."Journal
Of Nutrition 143.11 (2013): 1843S-1847S. FSTA - Food Science and
Technology Abstracts. Web. 27 July 2014. O'connor, Anahad. "Herbal
Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 July 2014. "OpenSecrets
Blog." Opensecrets RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 July 2014. Palmer,
Phillip G. "Deadly Dimethylamylamine: Health Supplements Are
Killing Consumers While Current Regulations Impede FDA Action."
Journal Of Legal Medicine 35.2 (2014): 311-336. Index to Legal
Periodicals and Books (H.W. Wilson). Web. 27 July 2014. "Supreme
Health Council Warns Against Using Oxy ELITE Pro CAPSULES." Arabia
2000 (2013): Newspaper Source. Web. 27 July 2014. "U.S. Bans
Ephedra, Drug Linked To Deaths." Medical Letter On The CDC (2004):
22-24. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. Web. 27 July 2014.