NPA members attending the group’s advocacy event, dubbed the Natural Products Day, will be representing 27 states, said Dan Fabricant, PhD, NPA president and CEO. This is on a par with last year’s numbers.
High on the list of talking points will, of course, be CBD. The association worked with Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) on an amendment to the House Agriculture appropriations bill to include critical funds that would enable FDA to undertake the appropriate processes and set a safe level of CBD. This was subsequently approved.
The amendment essentially earmarks $100,000 for the “FDA to undertake a process to make lawful a safe level for conventional foods and dietary supplements containing Cannabidiol (CBD) so long as the products are compliant with all other FDA rules and regulations.”
“Now we need to see what happens in the Senate,” said Dr Fabricant. “There many be some opportunity to add an amendment to the budget there, and that would push the FDA to look at the process.”
Despite partisan politics and gridlock in Congress, NPA is planning meetings with elected officials and their staff on both sides of the aisle, including Sen. Tim Scott (SC), Rep. McNerney (CA-09), and Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03)
Not all of the agenda items will be legislative, said Dr Fabricant. One issue is a potential IRS guidance change around the coverage the costs of dietary supplement product using HSAs and FSAs.
The Big Natural
Natural Products Day follows the association’s Big Natural event, which his moving to DC after a couple of years in Las Vegas. NPA is expecting around 100 people for The Big Natural, said Dr Fabricant. The event will take place at the MGM National Harbor on September 11-12, 2019.
The conference opens with introductory remarks from NFL running back and hall of famer, John Riggins, and will also feature a keynote addresses from Richard Cleland, assistant director, Division of Advertising Practices, Federal Trade Commission.
Also slated to speak is Mathew Fraser, who earned the title of Fittest Man on Earth at the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 CrossFit Games.
Other notable speakers include:
Mark LeDoux, Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Natural Products Association and CEO of Natural Alternatives International
Dr. Daniel Fabricant, President and CEO of NPA
Jim Emme, CEO, Now Health Group
Martin Kullen, Ph.D., R&D Lead for Probiotics, Fibers, HMO and Microbiome for DuPont Nutrition & Health
Amy Smith, Ph.D., Regulatory Global Lead for DuPont Probiotics
Kevin Bell, Principal of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman
David Thibodeau, Managing Director of Wellvest Capital
Najla Guthrie, President of KGK Science
Nyree Dardarian, MS, RD, CSSD, FAND, LDN, Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of the Center for Nutrition & Performance (CNP) Drexel University and Sports Nutritionist for Philadelphia Union (Major League Soccer, MLS) and the Philadelphia Flyers (National Hockey League, NHL)
Jonathan Scheiman, CEO and co-founder of FitBiomics
For more information about Natural Products Day, please click HERE.
For more information about The Big Natural, please click HERE.