GAO and nutritionals
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Report examining existing federal mechanisms for ensuring the safety of supplements and functional foods and the accuracy of their labeling/advertising claims is slated for July release. The analysis, a self-initiated project by the General Accounting Office, was spurred by consumer interest and growth in the industry. The analysis will incorporate data from approximately two dozen entities, including FDA, NIH, FTC, the California Department of Health, trade groups, nutrition and consumer groups, academia and six food companies. GAO's August 1999 report questioning FDA's reliance on AER data to support a proposed rule restricting the use of ephedrine alkaloids in supplements was a key factor in the agency's recent withdrawal of the proposed reg's dosing and duration of use limits (1"The Tan Sheet" March 6, p. 9)