The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act
The DSHEA was signed by President Clinton on October 15, 1994. For the first time dietary supplements were given their own set of rules by which to abide. The DSHEA included definitions of dietary supplementand new dietary ingredientand provided for the creation of a commission to advise on the regulation of these substances.
Early Regulation of Dietary Supplements
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, concerns about the safety and purity of the American food supply were mounting. Farmers, millers, trade associations, and drug producers agreed that a government intervention was warranted, but each group was unwilling to compromise its own agenda in the interest of an agreement. In addition to concern about [...]
The Regulation of Dietary Supplements
One hundred years ago, the dietary supplement industry was very different from today. Production and processing were not standardized, sanitation was questionable (manufacturers had little understanding of bacterial/microbial control and refrigeration was primitive), and distribution was unregulated. The twentieth century brought many changes in how dietary supplements were handled and transported, and several laws sought [...]