N.Y. Seeks In-State Regulation of Supplements

N.Y. Seeks In-State Regulation of Supplements

ALBANY, N.Y.The New YorkState Task Force on Life and Law called federal oversight of dietary supplementslacking and recommended the state establish its own supervision of supplementsto inform and protect its citizens from dangerous products. According to thetask force report (www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/taskfce), a special committeewould evaluate the safety and efficacy of supplements, under the direction ofthe NewYork Health Department, which would have the authority to ban products itfound to be harmful.

Measures by New York State are warranted until the federalgovernment implements adequate standards and enforcement for manufacturing,safety and effectiveness, said the task force, which took particularexception to products marketed to children. The supplement industry has longmaintained that the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] has ample authority underDSHEA [the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act] to regulate supplementsand even remove them from the market when necessary ... the task force stronglydisagrees.