Import Alert and Stronger Self-Regulatory Collaboration Urged to Fill Gap
WASHINGTON – The Natural Products Association (NPA) today proposed a two-pronged public-private partnership approach to ensure the safety of the global dietary supplement supply chain following yesterday’s announcements by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it is prioritizing resources and only performing “for-cause inspections” during the COVID-19 crisis. The reductions would temporarily reduce normal inspections of facilities overseas.
Step I: FDA Import Alert for Supplements.
NPA’s first recommendation is for FDA to issue an import alert for supplements. The import alert requires no additional resources but would be an effective measure that would provide important information to the Agency to facilitate their enforcement of current dietary supplement regulations. An import alert places the responsibility back on the importer to ensure that the products being imported into the United States are in compliance with the FDA’s laws and regulations. The agency last used this authority in 2014 in response to safety concerns related to the importation of Kratom. NPA has requested a meeting with FDA officials to explain the benefits of this approach.
Step II: Expand Participation in the SSCI Initiative.
NPA’s second recommendation is to expand the number of companies who agree to meet industry specific quality assurance standards in NPA’s Supplement Safety and Compliance Initiative (SSCI). SSCI is an industry-driven initiative led by the nation’s leading retailers to provide a harmonized benchmark to recognize various safety standards throughout the entire dietary supplement supply chain. SSCI is a bold step forward in providing quality assurance from harvest to retailer shelf. Dietary supplements must meet or exceed the SSCI benchmark to be accepted in major retailers, all with the goal of providing quality products and increasing consumer confidence. Visit: http://www.ssciglobal.org/
“The benefits of good public-private partnerships are one of the real success stories from this crisis, and we are trying to apply that lesson in the supplement industry as well. FDA is absolutely right to prioritize resources but there are some additional strong steps worth exploring to protect consumers. We want to work with government officials and all stakeholders to fill gaps where necessary and ensure we maintain the safest food and supplement supply in the world,” said Dr. Daniel Fabricant.
Dr. Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA is available for media interviews to discuss the new report. To schedule an interview with Dr. Fabricant, please contact Justin Bartolomeo at 202-400-0480 or jbartolomeo@hdmk.org
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Natural Products Association
The Natural Products Association (NPA) is the trade association representing the entire natural products industry. We advocate for our members who supply, manufacture and sell natural ingredients or products for consumers. The Natural Products Association promotes good manufacturing practices as part of the growth and success of the industry. Founded in 1936, NPA represents over 700 members accounting for more than 10,000 locations of retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors of natural products, including foods, dietary supplements, and health/beauty aids. Visit www.npanational.org.
