Madam Chair, as I close my brief remarks, I return to my original objective to cover three basic points. First, dietary supplement products are extensively regulated and should be used by consumers as directed. Second, ephedra dietary supplements are appropriately marketed to consumers, including voluntary industry self-regulating labeling information. And third, the New York City Council s resolution and bill most likely will scare people away from using supplements that are known to enhance their health and well being, and thus, these proposals will be counterproductive. FDA s new initiative and the dietary supplement industry s desire to work with the agency underscore the joint responsibilities that the manufacturers and the regulators have in helping to continue to ensure consumer confidence in these healthful products.
Consumers also have a responsibility.
That responsibility begins with the consumer becoming as informed as possible and following the label directions of dietary supplements. I recognize that I have had to cover these points rather quickly, so I wish to leave, for the record, several documents that provide more details on these matters. These materials have been substantially prepared by CRN s scientific and regulatory group. The regulation of dietary supplements before and after the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. Council for Responsible Nutrition, Washington, D.C., 1999.