CRN recognizes that dietary supplements are a “vital part of the health and wellness regimens of most Americans,” the release says. Dietary supplement facilities must be classified as essential during the pandemic so that the sourcing, manufacture, transportation, testing, and sale of the products can continue.
The release notes that consumers rely on supplements, as demonstrated by recent sales data, as well as reported product outages. CRN isreaching outto the Department of Homeland Security, FDA, the Coronavirus Task Force, members of Congress, and a range of local officials to advocate for the continued functioning of the dietary supplement industry.
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Steve Mister, President and CEO of CRN, said in the release: “On an ordinary day, these products play an important role for the health and well-being of consumers, and it is critical that we ensure continued consumer access to these products during this public health pandemic. This is not the time to jeopardize consumer access to these products. Simply put, they matter more than ever right now.“CRN supports the recent actions by federal, state, and local officials in the effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and understands the role of limiting non-essential commerce to protect the health and safety of the public,” Mister continued. “We believe it is vital for key industries like food and healthcare product manufacturing, including dietary supplement facilities, to be considered essential as these sectors produce products that promote better health and provide consumers with critical nutrients they need every day.”
Luke Huber, N.D., VP, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs at CRN, added: “We recognize there is well-established research demonstrating how dietary supplements can play an important role in supporting health and wellness, and now is not the time to deny consumers access to these beneficial products. At the same time, we encourage the public to remain vigilant for fraudulent products. No supplement may claim to cure, treat, or prevent COVID-19, and any product that says it does should be avoided.”
