Table of Contents
Vitamin Retailer’s 30 Years Of News
The dietary supplement industry has gone through many changes since Vitamin Retailer’s (VR) debut in 1994. In honor of the magazine’s 30th anniversary, we looked back at some of the industry’s major milestones, and reflect on the impact, challenges and evolution of the dietary supplement and natural products industry since the magazine’s inception.
1994
– The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passes.
1996
– The White House Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels issues its report on future regulation of this product category.
1997
– FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) advised Pharmanex, the manufacturer of the Cholestin supplement, that the product was a drug requiring FDA’s approval. Counsel for Pharmanex maintained that red yeast rice was an ingredient with a documented history of food use.
1999
– D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision in Pearson v. Shalala. A federal appeals court ruled in January that the FDA must allow “qualified health claims” on supplements—that is, claims that include qualifying language to prevent them from being misleading to consumers.
2000
– FDA’s final rule on structure/function claims. Seen in general as a victory for the supplement industry, the FDA increased the number of claims that could be made for supplements and narrowed its definition of disease, rather than broadening it as the agency originally had intended.
2001-2002
– Following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, internet marketers and a few branded manufacturers touted supplements as remedies for bioterrorism. A coalition of industry groups issued a statement warning members to refuse to stock or sell products that were presented as anthrax treatments.
2002
– Fish oil supplements garner serious consumer interest after the American Heart Association’s scientific statement on the benefits of fish and fish oil supplements for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is published in Circulation.
2003
– Dietary supplements containing ephedra are banned December 20.
2004
– The Miller meta-analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concludes that high doses (400 IU) of vitamin E daily could do more harm than good.
2006
– The adverse event reporting (AER) law is passed, requiring that companies submit serious AERs to the FDA.
2007
– The final good manufacturing practices (GMPs) rules specific to dietary supplements are published.
– CRN launches its consumer wellness campaign, “Life…supplemented,” with the support of dietary supplement ingredient suppliers and product manufacturers. The multi-year, multi-million dollar public relations campaign focused on helping individuals create a healthier lifestyle by offering actionable suggestions and educational information about the three pillars of a smart wellness regimen: healthy diet, supplements and exercise.
2008
– A three-year rollout of the Federal cGMPs (current good manufacturing practices) for dietary supplements begins.
2010
– NPA announces that more than 300 natural personal care products have been certified through its two-year-old natural standard certification program.
2011
– President Obama signs the FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA)
2012
– AHPA (American Herbal Products Association), CHPA (Consumer Healthcare Products Association), CRN, NPA (Natural Products Association) and UNPA (United Natural Products Alliance) join together to call for an overhaul of the FDA’s Draft Guidance for Industry: Dietary Supplements: NDI (new dietary ingredient) Notifications and Related Issues.
– The FDA announced plans to reissue a revised draft guidance NDIs used in dietary supplements.
2013
– Scientists at NSF International and the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine publish a research paper confirming that 1,3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA) is not present in geranium and pelargonium species, or their essential oils.
2014
– President Obama is asked to label GMOs. Vermont Governor signs GMO Labeling bill, which goes into affect in 2016.
2015
– Farm Bill allows for hemp to be cultivated for purposes of research
– The New York State attorney general’s (NYAG) office accused four major retailers of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements and demanded that they remove the products from their shelves.
2016
– Federal GMO Labeling bill passage
2017
-Amazon buys Whole Foods for $13.4 billion
2018
– Hemp status gets update in U.S. Farm Bill proposal –will be removed from controlled substances list.
2019
– Vitamin Retailer magazine celebrates its 25-year anniversary
– October 15 marked the 25th anniversary of DSHEA.
– The 2018 Farm Bill’s removal of hemp as a controlled substance leads to an explosion of CBD companies and products.
2020
– The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Health food stores remain open as essential businesses during the public health crisis.
– FDA sends warning letter in August, and stated NAC was excluded from the definition of a dietary supplement.
2021
– Nominated by President Joe Biden, Dr. Robert M. Califf becomes FDA Commissioner.
2022
– The FDA issued “Policy Regarding N-acetyl-L-cysteine: Guidance for Industry.” In the guidance document, FDA stated: “…we are considering initiating rulemaking under section 201(ff)(3)(B) of the FD&C (Food, Drug & Cosmetic) Act to permit the use of NAC in or as a dietary supplement.
2023
– With more than 3,000 CBD products coming to market since the 2018 passage of the Farm Bill, the FDA still does not issue a national standard for CBD product guidance.
– New York passes legislation restricting minors from purchasing some nutritional supplements.
– New Hope announces closure of Natural Products Expo East trade show and launches Newtopia Now to take place in 2024.
Vitamin Retailer’s 30 Years Of News
The dietary supplement industry has gone through many changes since Vitamin Retailer’s (VR) debut in 1994. In honor of the magazine’s 30th anniversary, we looked back at some of the industry’s major milestones, and reflect on the impact, challenges and evolution of the dietary supplement and natural products industry since the magazine’s inception.
1994
– The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passes.
1996
– The White House Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels issues its report on future regulation of this product category.
1997
– FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) advised Pharmanex, the manufacturer of the Cholestin supplement, that the product was a drug requiring FDA’s approval. Counsel for Pharmanex maintained that red yeast rice was an ingredient with a documented history of food use.
1999
– D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals handed down its decision in Pearson v. Shalala. A federal appeals court ruled in January that the FDA must allow “qualified health claims” on supplements—that is, claims that include qualifying language to prevent them from being misleading to consumers.
2000
– FDA’s final rule on structure/function claims. Seen in general as a victory for the supplement industry, the FDA increased the number of claims that could be made for supplements and narrowed its definition of disease, rather than broadening it as the agency originally had intended.
2001-2002
– Following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, internet marketers and a few branded manufacturers touted supplements as remedies for bioterrorism. A coalition of industry groups issued a statement warning members to refuse to stock or sell products that were presented as anthrax treatments.
2002
– Fish oil supplements garner serious consumer interest after the American Heart Association’s scientific statement on the benefits of fish and fish oil supplements for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is published in Circulation.
2003
– Dietary supplements containing ephedra are banned December 20.
2004
– The Miller meta-analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine concludes that high doses (400 IU) of vitamin E daily could do more harm than good.
2006
– The adverse event reporting (AER) law is passed, requiring that companies submit serious AERs to the FDA.
2007
– The final good manufacturing practices (GMPs) rules specific to dietary supplements are published.
– CRN launches its consumer wellness campaign, “Life…supplemented,” with the support of dietary supplement ingredient suppliers and product manufacturers. The multi-year, multi-million dollar public relations campaign focused on helping individuals create a healthier lifestyle by offering actionable suggestions and educational information about the three pillars of a smart wellness regimen: healthy diet, supplements and exercise.
2008
– A three-year rollout of the Federal cGMPs (current good manufacturing practices) for dietary supplements begins.
2010
– NPA announces that more than 300 natural personal care products have been certified through its two-year-old natural standard certification program.
2011
– President Obama signs the FDA Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA)
2012
– AHPA (American Herbal Products Association), CHPA (Consumer Healthcare Products Association), CRN, NPA (Natural Products Association) and UNPA (United Natural Products Alliance) join together to call for an overhaul of the FDA’s Draft Guidance for Industry: Dietary Supplements: NDI (new dietary ingredient) Notifications and Related Issues.
– The FDA announced plans to reissue a revised draft guidance NDIs used in dietary supplements.
2013
– Scientists at NSF International and the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine publish a research paper confirming that 1,3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA) is not present in geranium and pelargonium species, or their essential oils.
2014
– President Obama is asked to label GMOs. Vermont Governor signs GMO Labeling bill, which goes into affect in 2016.
2015
– Farm Bill allows for hemp to be cultivated for purposes of research
– The New York State attorney general’s (NYAG) office accused four major retailers of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements and demanded that they remove the products from their shelves.
2016
– Federal GMO Labeling bill passage
2017
-Amazon buys Whole Foods for $13.4 billion
2018
– Hemp status gets update in U.S. Farm Bill proposal –will be removed from controlled substances list.
2019
– Vitamin Retailer magazine celebrates its 25-year anniversary
– October 15 marked the 25th anniversary of DSHEA.
– The 2018 Farm Bill’s removal of hemp as a controlled substance leads to an explosion of CBD companies and products.
2020
– The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Health food stores remain open as essential businesses during the public health crisis.
– FDA sends warning letter in August, and stated NAC was excluded from the definition of a dietary supplement.
2021
– Nominated by President Joe Biden, Dr. Robert M. Califf becomes FDA Commissioner.
2022
– The FDA issued “Policy Regarding N-acetyl-L-cysteine: Guidance for Industry.” In the guidance document, FDA stated: “…we are considering initiating rulemaking under section 201(ff)(3)(B) of the FD&C (Food, Drug & Cosmetic) Act to permit the use of NAC in or as a dietary supplement.
2023
– With more than 3,000 CBD products coming to market since the 2018 passage of the Farm Bill, the FDA still does not issue a national standard for CBD product guidance.
– New York passes legislation restricting minors from purchasing some nutritional supplements.
– New Hope announces closure of Natural Products Expo East trade show and launches Newtopia Now to take place in 2024.
