The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), and United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) requested a $5 million increase in funding for the ODSP, citing the fact that more than 170 million consumers in the United States use supplements each year.
After the passage of DSHEA, the request notes, the industry has grown from around $6 billion in 1994 to over $55 billion in 2020, reflecting “not only increased interest among consumers for these products, but also significant advancements in the science of nutrition and wellness.” The request points out that “the ODSP has primary responsibility for oversight of the industry, development of appropriate regulations and guidance, further implementation of DSHEA and establishing enforcement priorities for products that may create a risk to public health.”
Related: Supplement Associations Commemorate 100th Meeting CRN Files Citizen Petition with FDA over NAC Legal Status 4 Takeaways from AHPA’s 9th Botanical Congress
The request also reiterates the fact that AHPA, CHPA, CRN, and UNPA have all been longstanding advocates for more FDA funding to allow the agency to take enforcement action against companies that illegally manufacture and sell adulterated products.The request concludes: “While we fully understand and appreciate the budget pressures the Committee faces, we believe such an increase is warranted given the substantial growth in, and size of, the marketplace and the need to make up for the lapse in inspections and related ODSP activities caused by the pandemic.”
