01.06.10
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has launched a new initiative called “Supplement Safety Now,” which intends to eliminate the practice of selling dangerous products containing steroids and other drugs as “safe and legal” dietary supplements. USADA has partnered with the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the U.S. Olympic Committee and other national sports and health organizations to stop “rogue” manufacturers within the nutritional supplement industry.
“Most Americans are unaware that dangerous drugs are intentionally being sold as dietary supplements in retail and Internet stores across America, and that current laws allow for these products to get into the hands of our children too easily,” said Travis Tygart, CEO of USADA. “Supplement Safety Now” (www.supplementsafetynow.com) is urging Congress to establish a regulatory framework that ensures all supplements sold over-the-counter, in retail stores and online are safe and free of dangerous steroids and other drugs.
The “Supplement Safety Now” initiative will include media outreach and grassroots mobilization, along with support from major sports and health organizations. “These unscrupulous supplement manufacturers intentionally exploit loopholes in the federal regulations by selling products containing drugs and marketing them as ‘safe’ and ‘legal.’ Congress needs to act now to close these loopholes,” said Robert Manfred, Jr., executive vice president for labor relations, MLB.
Steve Mister, president and CEO, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Washington, D.C., commended USADA and supporting organizations for stepping forward to confront illegal products in the marketplace. “We further appreciate Mr. Tygart’s clarifications that marketers of anabolic steroids are already breaking the law and that these rogue companies undermine the credibility of the responsible dietary supplement industry, which strives to provide high-quality products to better consumers’ health and wellness,” he said.
“Most Americans are unaware that dangerous drugs are intentionally being sold as dietary supplements in retail and Internet stores across America, and that current laws allow for these products to get into the hands of our children too easily,” said Travis Tygart, CEO of USADA. “Supplement Safety Now” (www.supplementsafetynow.com) is urging Congress to establish a regulatory framework that ensures all supplements sold over-the-counter, in retail stores and online are safe and free of dangerous steroids and other drugs.
The “Supplement Safety Now” initiative will include media outreach and grassroots mobilization, along with support from major sports and health organizations. “These unscrupulous supplement manufacturers intentionally exploit loopholes in the federal regulations by selling products containing drugs and marketing them as ‘safe’ and ‘legal.’ Congress needs to act now to close these loopholes,” said Robert Manfred, Jr., executive vice president for labor relations, MLB.
Steve Mister, president and CEO, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Washington, D.C., commended USADA and supporting organizations for stepping forward to confront illegal products in the marketplace. “We further appreciate Mr. Tygart’s clarifications that marketers of anabolic steroids are already breaking the law and that these rogue companies undermine the credibility of the responsible dietary supplement industry, which strives to provide high-quality products to better consumers’ health and wellness,” he said.