Possible VP pick Kelly has connection to supplement industry

Sen. Mark Kelly, one of the running mate front-runners for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, has a connection to the dietary supplement industry. Industry sources are divided on what that might mean for the sector should he be chosen. 

Kelly, the junior Democratic senator from Arizona, is among the several politicians Vice President Harris is said to be considering. Her camp said the decision will be made soon. 

Generally in these cases, the running mate is chosen on his or her appeal to the electorate and an ability to connect with voters in a particular swing state. Arizona’s 11 electoral votes hang in the balance. 

Kelly is a military veteran and former astronaut. His wife, former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), was serving in the U.S. House of Representative in 2011 when she was shot and permanently disabled during a mass shooting in Tucson. 

Paid to promote Shaklee products 

When he was in space during a mission aboard the International Space Station, Kelly was pictured with packages of Shaklee vitamins and other supplements. NASA has used some Shaklee products to help combat dehydration and nutrient depletion experienced by astronauts during prolonged stays in orbit. 

Kelly subsequently made public appearances and promotional videos for the multilevel marketing (MLM) organization. Financial disclosures relating to Giffords’ time in office show he was paid $50,000 by Shaklee for speaking engagements in 2011 alone. 

This connection, which was first raised by the mainstream media in 2019 during Kelly’s successful run for the Senate, has surfaced again as Kelly has been mentioned as being on Harris’ short list for her VP candidate. 

Pyramid scheme claims 

The connection has mostly been couched in alarmist or exaggerated terms in these media reports. The Washington Post labeled him as an “ex-vitamin huckster.” Another headline alleges Kelly was associated with a “sketchy pyramid scheme.” 

“Illegal pyramid scheme” is a charge that has been leveled at one time or another at many MLM companies. The Federal Trade Commission has issued a guidance that instructs MLMs on how they can structure their compensation plans and talk about the earning potential for individual distributors to stay on the right side of the law. While other high-profile supplement MLMs — notably Herbalife and Advocare — have been charged by regulators in previous years with operating unlawful pyramid schemes, Shaklee has never been called on the carpet by FTC. 

Kelly’s knowledgeable, but is he an ally? 

Supplement industry sources expressed mixed views as to what extent Kelly would be a boon for the industry, should he be elected in the new position.  

While he is familiar with supplements, he was not a noted advocate during his brief time in Congress. He did not, for example, put his name on the roster of the Dietary Supplement Caucus in 2024, though his colleague Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema did. 

And while the vice president position has potential broad reach in terms of setting agendas, it does not come with a role in the crafting of legislation. 

Nevertheless, having a politician occupying one of the highest positions in the government who is at least familiar with the potential benefits of supplements must be seen as a good thing, said Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA). 

“Senator Kelly is not your average politician. As a renowned fighter pilot, astronaut and now senator, his views on nutrition and supplementation are well-informed,” Israelsen said. “He has shared his views on the important role and value of balanced nutrition and dietary supplements over the past number of years. 

“Of course, it would be great to have someone of his stature bring an informed view on dietary supplements to the White House,” he added. “I wish I could say the same of a recent op-ed piece from a prominent newspaper whose views appeared neither informed [nor] objective.” 

Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D,, president and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA), took a more guarded view. He noted it’s a lot easier to talk to a senator or his or her staff than to get time scheduled to talk to a vice president. 

“It’s always a better chance to see eye to eye with someone you’ve met face to face, so in this context the fact that Sen. Kelly has some familiarity with the industry may prove helpful on some level,” Fabricant said. “However, we haven’t seen much action from him in protecting or advancing the industry during his time in the ‘upper chamber,’ and now it will take much more in terms of resources to get face time with him should it be a fait accompli  as the Democrat VP pick. 

“At the end of the day even if he is supportive, we still have our work cut out for us with retirements like Jeff Duncan and Tony Cardenas who have been stalwarts in protecting the industry from FDA overreach and from bad legislation like MPL [mandatory product listing],” Fabricant added. “Our message continues to be that if we are going to be as effective as other highly regulated industries in navigating government, then we need to up our game when it comes to supporting new champions.”