Nutrient Supplements in the Land of the Law of Unintended Consequences

In principle, the law that constrains the marketing of nutrient supplements in the U.S. is "DSHEA," or, the Dietary Supplement Health And Education Act (of 1994). In practice, the law of unintended consequences may exert an even greater influence. I write this in the immediate aftermath of a meeting with an innovative nutrient supplement company for which I serve as a scientific advisor. My role involves reviewing research evidence, participating directly in new product formulations, and advising on needed research. The role, and the results of the collaboration, are quite rewarding -- and have produced at least one product I myself take daily, to very good effect. But none of that is the crux of today's story. I presented to the business team -- including gurus of marketing, and the in-house legal counsel -- some of my priorities for the information they make available. Those priorities, and my perspective, derive directly from 25 years of patient care. In the typical scenario, a patient reads about some new supplement, is intrigued, and brings something they printed off the Internet to their subsequent appointment with me to get my opinion. What information do I need to make an informed judgment? For starters, I am somewhat prone to judge this kind of book by its cover. In other words, the tone of any marketing material matters to me. I do not want to see any mention of miracle, or wonder. I don't want to see effects promised, or results guaranteed. But here, the law is...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news