AHPA Updates

Congress passed the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act (DASCA) of 2014 (S. 2012) last night, clearing the bill to be signed into law by President Obama. 

Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) yesterday recognized Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) as the next Democratic leader in the U.S. Senate for safeguarding access to dietary supplements. Heinrich's agreement to take on this role was communicated at a meeting at Sen. Hatch's office attended by all three senators and representatives of several dietary supplement trade associations including American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) President Michael McGuffin.

Long-time supplement supporter Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) delivered an emotional farewell address to the Senate today after serving 30 years as a Senator and 10 years as a Representative.

Lawmakers discussed the safety, labeling and regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food during a hearing held today by the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health.

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) urged National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Francis Collins to increase the budget of the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) for fiscal year (FY) 2015 to at least the same level of the prior fiscal year.

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), the co-chair of the Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus, narrowly beat out Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) to replace vocal supplement industry critic Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) as the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

In its most recent effort to improve California Proposition 65 (Prop 65), the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) joined a coalition of nearly 140 organizations and companies to submit comments in response to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment's (OEHHA's) proposal to reform this law.

The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplements Associations (IADSA), an association focused on the globalization of food supplement markets and regulatory challenges, is providing AHPA members with the latest international supplement regulation news through theIADSA Newsflash, a monthly e-newsletter.

Even the most casual observers of American politics are aware that Republican candidates fared extremely well in this past Tuesday's national elections. Republicans won control of United States Senate, expanded their majority in House of Representatives, and also picked up additional governships.

AHPA launched the Import Records Center to collect information on regulatory interruptions encountered when shipping herbs and other goods into the U.S.