The FDA's Task Force on Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition has established a public docket to receive views and comments from interested stakeholders.
The Task Force is requesting views on all aspects of the Task Force effort, such as how to help ensure consumers are informed about the role of a good diet and assuring that such information is not misleading.
It is also seeking views on the use of health claims for conventional foods. How much scientific evidence should be adequate for a qualified health claim and what types of safety concerns should be factored into FDA decision-making, are some of the questions under discussion by the task force.
It is also seeking comment on any specific claims ready for consideration under the new guidance and what disclaimers could be used to prevent consumers from being misled.
Finally it asks whether conventional foods and dietary supplements should be treated the same or treated differently.
Meanwhile the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) is continuing its campaign to "oppose extreme and unnecessary expansion of FDA authority over dietary supplements" in its bid to keep the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
The NNFA claims that the recent 'Dietary Supplement Safety' Act introduced in the US Senate, "would allow no more consumer protection than current law (DSHEA) provides...and would subject nearly all vitamins, minerals, herbal products and other supplements to a level of scrutiny that is both unwarranted and unnecessary."
"By questioning the safety of any dietary supplement that receives even one complaint, hundreds of products that have been safely and beneficially used could be removed from the marketplace. Under this new legislation, the FDA has complete discretion to make this determination, regardless of whether the product was used under conditions cautioned against by the manufacturer on the label," claims NNFA.
The group also pointed out that the bill unfairly excludes the most common 'stimulant' ingredient in foods - caffeine.The NNFA is urging the industry to voice their opposition to Senators and has provided a sample letter. Comments on public docket 03N-0069 can be submitted until Tuesday, May 27, 2003 to the Dockets Management Branch of the Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, Rockville, MD 20852, or electronically.