New Regulations for Weight Loss Supplement Claims?
A “citizens” petition has just been filed with the FDA to regulate weight loss claims made for dietary supplements as “disease claims.” If the petition is granted, manufacturers of weight loss supps would be required to pass FDA review prior to making claims about the efficacy of their products.
The “citizens” filing the petition are the American Dietetic Association, The Obesity Society, Shaping America’s Health, and…Glaxo Smith Kline (the makers of Alli).
A copy of the petition can be viewed by clicking here.
Personally, I’m somewhat conflicted by this petition. On the one hand, it’s one more step down the slippery slope of regulation that could ultimately interfere with my right to choose – and yes, experiment – with some pretty interesting compounds currently being researched (and by “researched,” I am referring to legit, peer-reviewed studies vs. uncontrolled, in-house “clinical studies” touted on many product sites). I loathe the “nanny state” mentality that assumes we’re idiots who need to be protected from ourselves.
In addition, statements such as this one:
“Moreover, FDA is only authorized to allow certain types of qualified health claims for a supplement where there is some credible scientific evidence that supports the claim. Yet, there is no credible scientific evidence that would support any type of a claim accompanying a weight loss supplement. Indeed, during the past decade, several independent scientific teams have uniformly concluded that there is little, if any, evidence to support the efficacy of supplements marketed for weight loss. And, there is no evidence that the use of such supplements would reduce the risk of a particular disease. As a result, by taking the actions requested in this petition, FDA would protect millions of Americans who are currently relying on unproven and ineffective dietary supplements to lose weight.”
…are pure sophistry. While it is largely true that most branded formulas have not been “proven” to be effective, it is also true that specific ingredients do have some scientific support. In my opinion, evidence-based claims for a supplement, based on its ingredients, are entirely justified, provided that the amounts included in the formula are in line with the evidence.
And finally, it’s easy to suspect there’s a “hidden agenda.” On the surface, it seems “fair” to have greater scrutiny of weight loss supplements to ensure that they do – in fact – work. But it seems to me the intent is to guarantee that NO dietary supplement ever clears that hurdle. Right now, the FDA can’t even ensure that our food supply meets basic standards for safety…the agency does not have the capacity to administer the proposed action efficiently or fairly. It’s not about “protecting” consumers…it’s about creating a bottleneck.
On the flip side, the supplement industry has been its own worst enemy. Even responsible companies and industry groups have looked the other way and allowed unscrupulous companies (and individuals) to mislead, misinform, and defraud people. There has been little effort on the part of the industry to help consumers cope with the BS, nor provide them with info they can use to get the best value for their supplement $$$. Thus, it’s not surprising to see petitions such as this one. Their characterization of the irresponsible claims made in supplement ads is dead-on accurate. The industry seems intent on giving the FDA the rope it’ll use to hang them with.
I’ll be watching the progress of this petition carefully.
