AHPA: Mandatory product listing could restrict access to supplements

As part of its self-proclaimed intent to modernize dietary supplement regulation, FDA has called for Congress to require mandatory product listing (MPL) of all dietary supplements in the U.S. marketplace. While some organizations have expressed support for this proposed change in the law, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) contends MPL could prove not only harmful, unnecessary, redundant and inaccurate—but also could restrict informed consumer access to safe dietary supplements, as guaranteed by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). Such concerns should be thoughtfully examined before any MPL legislation is considered by Congress.