DSHEA plea @ GOP Convention Committee

Supplement Maker Talks Small Biz Woes at GOP Convention

August 23, 2012

http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/news/2012/08/supplement-maker-talks-small-biz-woes-at-gop-convention.aspx

DALLAS—Dietary supplement distributor Essential Formulas Inc., at the request of Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), presented testimony before the 2012 Republican National Convention Committee on Resolution during its August sessions in Tampa, Fla... 

During the testimony, Essential Formulas referenced data from Emory University, Atlanta, showing the NDI guidance, if adopted as-is, would force between 22,240 and 41,700 dietary supplements to be removed from the market, resulting in an economic loss of between $5.6 billion and $10.5 billion. IN the report on the exhaustive economic study of the potential impact of the NDI guidance on the dietary supplement industry, Joanna M. Shepherd Bailey, Ph.D., professor of law and economics at Emory,  reported, “The Guidance will cause a total economic loss of $21.2 billion to $39.8 billion annually in the economy.  It will also cause 127,598 to 239,247 jobs to be lost throughout the U.S. economy.” ...

The Essential Formulas testimony called on the 2012 Republican National Convention Committee on Resolutions to change its platform statement to: recognize the importance of the dietary supplement industry and the American consumers of dietary supplements to the overall economic health of America; and urge Federal agencies to work with the industry in a spirit of cooperation during enforcement of DSHEA and other relevant laws.  The company suggested FDA reconsider parts of the NDI guidance that are overly burdensome and contrary to the statute, Congressional intent, science and reasoned policy considerations.  It offered this recommendation for not only new policies but also the agency’s continued policy of treating the NDI notification provision as a premarket approval provision. Further, the company said FDA must fully analyze the economic impact on small businesses of compliance with the NDI notification submission requirements under the draft guidance.