12.01.14
Capitol Hill staffers were invited to an educational luncheon and briefing on the 20-year history of DSHEA (the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994), and its impact on the modern day dietary supplement industry in October.
The Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus (DSC) in cooperation with the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement industry—the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the Natural Products Association (NPA) and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA)—provided the government employees with a background on the regulatory environment prior to the passage of the law, the issues that led to introduction and eventual passage of DSHEA, as well as the impact of the legislation in the 20 years since.
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton on Oct. 25, 1994, DSHEA defined supplements as a distinct category of food products, established a new regulatory framework and created a mechanism for dealing with safety issues, regulated health claims and labeling. In addition, it defined good manufacturing practices and established new government entities to review the regulations and to encourage research on dietary supplements.
Twenty years later, the supplement industry has grown from around $4 billion in sales to $35 billion, with more than 150 million Americans taking dietary supplements annually.
The briefing was led by Scott Bass, a partner in Sidley and Austin LLP and one of the lead industry negotiators with Congress and FDA during the drafting of DSHEA; and Patricia Knight, founder of Knight Capitol Consultants. Ms. Knight was the chief of staff for DSHEA co-sponsor Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and was one of the lead staffers responsible for drafting and the passage of DSHEA.
The Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus (DSC) in cooperation with the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement industry—the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the Natural Products Association (NPA) and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA)—provided the government employees with a background on the regulatory environment prior to the passage of the law, the issues that led to introduction and eventual passage of DSHEA, as well as the impact of the legislation in the 20 years since.
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton on Oct. 25, 1994, DSHEA defined supplements as a distinct category of food products, established a new regulatory framework and created a mechanism for dealing with safety issues, regulated health claims and labeling. In addition, it defined good manufacturing practices and established new government entities to review the regulations and to encourage research on dietary supplements.
Twenty years later, the supplement industry has grown from around $4 billion in sales to $35 billion, with more than 150 million Americans taking dietary supplements annually.
The briefing was led by Scott Bass, a partner in Sidley and Austin LLP and one of the lead industry negotiators with Congress and FDA during the drafting of DSHEA; and Patricia Knight, founder of Knight Capitol Consultants. Ms. Knight was the chief of staff for DSHEA co-sponsor Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and was one of the lead staffers responsible for drafting and the passage of DSHEA.