Home / Health / FDA May Loosen Supplement Warning Labels
FDA May Loosen Supplement Warning Labels
16 Dec
Summary
- FDA considers reducing frequency of supplement warning labels.
- Experts fear weakened warnings could mislead consumers.
- Nearly 9 out of 10 melatonin brands had inaccurate labels.
The Food and Drug Administration is contemplating a revision to its regulations that would decrease the mandatory display frequency of warning labels on dietary supplement packaging. This proposed alteration could potentially make these important disclaimers less visible to consumers, raising concerns among health experts.
Currently, federal law mandates that supplement packaging include a disclaimer, such as "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration," whenever health claims are made. The FDA acknowledges that enforcement of this rule has been infrequent and suggests the change would reduce label clutter and costs for manufacturers.
Critics argue that weakening these warnings could further obscure the fact that supplements are not subject to pre-market review for safety and efficacy, unlike prescription drugs. Past studies have shown significant labeling inaccuracies, undermining consumer trust and understanding of product contents.
