Recent AHPA Advocacy

This issue of the IADSA Newsflash includes an update on the EU banning yohimbe and consulting on regulatory limits for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in teas, honey, and food supplement products.

On January 28, 2019, AHPA submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to ensure that any rule or guidance that the agency may adopt on the use of dairy names (e.g., “milk,” “cream,” “butter,” etc.) on the labels of plant-based products expressly does not apply to any such product that is not generally used as a substitute for or marketed to resemble a dairy product.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued a final rule on December 20 that establishes the new national mandatory bioengineered (BE) food disclosure standard. The final rule does not incorporate significant revisions recommended by AHPA and consumer groups that were aimed at ensuring U.S. consumers can discern if their food includes genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or ingredients derived from GMOs.

A proposal that would have drastically limited access to safe, legal and popular products for Arizonans was changed recently thanks to the Natural Products Association (NPA) and the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), who worked with the Arizona Board of Pharmacy and other state policymakers on the issue.

Nationally board-certified acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist at the Cleveland Clinic Galina Roofener shared safety data and lessons learned from the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute’s Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCHM) Program at her keynote delivered at the American Herbal Products Association’s (AHPA’s) 7th Annual Botanical Congress presented on Nov. 10 in Las Vegas at the SupplySide West trade show.

The American Herbal Products Association’s (AHPA’s) 7th Annual Botanical Congress featured a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) update by Steven Tave, FDA’s Director of the Office of Dietary Supplement Programs (ODSP), who highlighted recent collaborations between the responsible supplement industry and FDA toward the shared goal of a well-regulated dietary supplement market.

AHPA Chief Science Officer Dr. Holly Johnson discussed quality standards for hemp farmers, formulators, and finished product manufacturers at the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) 25th Annual Conference held Nov. 2-5 in Los Angeles.

Developed and used as a drug in the former Soviet Union for its supposed brain-enhancing properties, phenibut is not approved as a drug in the United States, nor does it meet the regulatory requirements to be sold in, or as, a dietary supplement. The ingredient should be considered dangerous, and has been associated with potentially serious side effects and great risk for addiction.

AHPA's Botanical Raw Materials Committee has launched a Sustainability Subcommittee to further AHPA’s ongoing efforts to ensure sustainable supplies of valuable botanicals. The subcommittee will be a vehicle for increasing awareness of sustainability issues and best practices, provide a forum to discuss and develop industry-wide standards, and promote existing sustainability initiatives throughout the industry.