IADSA Holds Workshop in Argentina

BRUSSELS, Belgium—The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) held a workshop in Argentina in late June to provide regulators and industry members from Argentina, Chile and Brazil the opportunity to discuss global, regional and national trends in regulation of dietary supplements. This was IADSA’s second 2008 workshop held in Latin America; the first was held this spring in Mexico.

Participants were given an overview of the global dietary supplement market and the different regional and global harmonization initiatives; an explanation of recent developments in the United States, including adverse event reporting (AER) and GMP (good manufacturing practice) regulations; and an introduction to the frameworks for regulation of food supplements in Latin America.

Speakers included Maria Luz Martínez, National Administration of Food, Argentina; Ana Claudia de Araújo, National Agency of Health Surveillance, Brazil; and Luisa Kipreos, Ministry of Health, Chile.

“The workshop gave regulators and industry representatives the opportunity to debate the key regulatory issues in the region and the potential for change in the light of international regulations and practice,” said David Pineda Ereño, IADSA’s manager of regulatory affairs. “Latin America is a highly complex region in terms of dietary supplement regulation and many significant problems exist for marketing products. Change in regulations will take time, but IADSA is committed to helping support local associations through the exchange of information and provision of solutions to create balanced regulation across the region.”