Most Americans take supplements for dietary and other purposes. However, the Food and Drug Administration currently has no mechanism to know what supplement products are on the market. In a Sept. 24 letter to two Senate and two House of Representatives committees, The Pew Charitable Trusts recommended that any supplement-related legislation considered by lawmakers establish a requirement for manufacturers to provide basic data on their products to FDA.
The product names, ingredients, and labels submitted to FDA under a listing requirement would allow the agency to effectively alert consumers about supplements that may be contaminated or contain unsafe ingredients. If publicly available, listing information would also allow consumers and retailers to make more informed decisions about the supplements they purchase.