Washington, D.C.—A new legislative bill is on the table that would give dietary supplement makers the ability to reference additional scientific information about the health benefits of their products.

The Free Speech about Science Act of 2010, introduced by Representatives Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) and Jared Polis (D-CO), states, “Americans want access and have a right to access legitimate scientific information about foods and dietary supplements to ensure informed decisions about diet and health care.” But, dietary supplement makers have not been allowed to cite some types of research in the past.

The new bill (H.R. 4913) seeks to amend Section 403(r) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by allowing dietary supplement and health food makers to reference research from a peer-reviewed article, book, scientific publication; a recognized textbook; or a publication from the U.S. government. It also suggests that referencing scientific literature would not convert such products into an unapproved, illegal new drug. The complete text for the proposed legislation can be viewed at getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h4913ih.txt.pdfhttp://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, May 2010