The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has pledged "one of the most significant modernisations of dietary supplement regulation and oversight in more than 25 years", with warning letters sent to companies that are making unproven health claims about their products. In a statement on Wednesday, the FDA said it had received "numerous complaints" from consumers who were concerned by products claiming they could treat or cure diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. More than one unapproved pharmaceutical ingredient was found in 20% of those supplements. Previous studies have shown a high number of supplements contain unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients. Around 75% of Americans use dietary supplements regularly, and the industry is worth over $40bn.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has pledged "one of the most significant modernisations of dietary supplement regulation and oversight in more than 25 years", with warning letters sent to companies that are making unproven health claims about their products. In a statement on Wednesday, the FDA said it had received "numerous complaints" from consumers who were concerned by products claiming they could treat or cure diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Previous studies have shown a high number of supplements contain unapproved pharmaceutical ingredients. Around 75% of Americans use dietary supplements regularly, and the industry is worth over $40bn.