Dietary Supplement Scaremongering by the FDAKaren De Coster, Contributor The FDA is claiming companies that manufacture supplement products, which are consumed by half of all Americans, are in persistent violation of basic manufacturing standards. Here are two preposterous quotes from the article: (1) Its downright scary, said Daniel Fabricant, head of the FDAs Division of Dietary Supplement Programs. At least half of industry is failing on its face. (2) Bradford Williams, manager of the FDA Division of Dietary Supplement Programs, expressed exasperation while addressing an audience at SupplySide West, a large dietary supplement conference in Las Vegas in October. It doesnt seem that the firms are getting it, Williams said. How do I reach this industry? Do I have to use nuclear bombers to do it? These reports will have to be supported by proof in the form of clinical test trials or peer-reviewed articles from scientific journals that the ingredients are effective. The manufacturers and sellers will not be able to sell their products until the FDA has completed a review and approves the ingredients for sale to the public. The intention is to severely minimize the dietary supplement industry, or put most of it out of business while manufacturers cannot possibly retroactively defend their myriad ingredients. Yet, Frito-Lay continues to promote its junk food as heart healthy snacks, and General Mills can claim that its sugar-in-a-box can lower your cholesterol. Also, the legal and government-sanctioned suppliers of drugs continue to expand what the CDC deems an epidemic: death by Big Pharma. Certainly, I do believe there are many inferior supplements out there, and that goes beyond the potential for poor manufacturing, non-adherence to sensible standards (such as maintaining master recipes), etc. I buy few supplements, but what I do buy is all top-quality, from premium companies, and the cost reflects that fact. But folks have a right to make these determinations for themselves. This article first appeared at KarenDeCoster.com. Karen De Coster, CPA is an accounting/finance professional and freelance writer covering food freedom, regulatory abuses and free market economics. Follow her on Twitter @karendecoster. You can support this article by voting on Reddit HERE linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 