GMP inspectors must determine if ingredients from cows are used, and if so, must discover the country of origin. Import restrictions from the USDA and FDA have been in place since 1989 and 1992 respectively. Gelatin capsules can be either vegetable-based or derived from bones and hides of beef and pork. Manufacturers want to be sure their products are safe, and are taking the appropriate safeguards. Also, most manufacturers use domestic rather than imported sources of glandular ingredients.
Dietary supplements are far more processed than food, so the chances are they are safer than food.
The FDA has put up rigorous and effective safeguards to protect us. A primary goal of NNFA is to educate both the public and manufacturers. We also want to make sure that information for the public is factual and not sensationalized, and that consumers understand that glandulars are different from vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. To pass this inspection, companies must have rigorous methods of identifying raw materials and documenting their source. Different tissues carry different risks of infectivity.