Washington, D.C.—TheNatural Products Association(NPA) has invited the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to elaborate on the “substantial progress” FDA said it has made on developing regulatory guidance for cannabidiol (CBD) products. NPA explained in a press release that an FDA spokesperson toldFood Navigator-USA that the Agency is “working toward a goal of providing additional guidance and have made substantial progress” on CBD regulations. NPA added that the FDA has given no specifics regarding what progress has been made.

NPA noted that it has been asking the FDA to set a safe level of daily consumption for CBD products for the past three years. As WholeFoods previously reported, in 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a provision that would appropriate  necessary funds for FDA to perform a Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE). NPA explained that the process would follow the same steps that the FDA has a history of using in exercising enforcement discretion on natural products that contain levels of an approved drug ingredient. The most well-known example, NPA added, is Red Yeast Rice.

“If the FDA has made real progress on a plan to regulate CBD, then we want to see it,” said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA, said in the release.  “Consumers who stand to benefit from this new industry also deserve to know that the products they use are safe.  We look forward to hearing the FDA’s plan to bring certainty and transparency to the growing CBD marketplace.”

NPA also said it has asked FDA to join a webinar that will feature some of the leading voices from the CBD industry.  The webinar, which will take place on June 23, 2020 at 10:00 AM EST, will be led by Dr. Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., and panelists include:
  • Dr. Patrick O’Mahony: Chief Specialist Food Science & Technology from Food Safety Authority of Ireland
  • Erin Williams, Senior Policy Analyst, Industrial Hemp Program Manager; Office of Policy, Planning and Research; Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;
  • Lisa Ramsey, M.S., Food Safety Regional Manager, Southwest; Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
  • Dr. Darryl Sullivan: Chief Science Officer and Director of Regulatory Affairs from Eurofins Scientific, Inc.
  • Grace Bandong, M.Sc.: Global Strategy Leader for Contaminants, Eurofins Food Integrity and Innovations

NPA members can join the webinar for $99 and non-members can join for $299. Register here.



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