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Review
. 2018 Jan 4;10(1):41.
doi: 10.3390/nu10010041.

Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges and Research Resources

Johanna T Dwyer  1 , Paul M Coates  2 , Michael J Smith  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Dietary Supplements: Regulatory Challenges and Research Resources

Johanna T Dwyer et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Many of the scientific and regulatory challenges that exist in research on the safety, quality and efficacy of dietary supplements are common to all countries as the marketplace for them becomes increasingly global. This article summarizes some of the challenges in supplement science and provides a case study of research at the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, USA, along with some resources it has developed that are available to all scientists. It includes examples of some of the regulatory challenges faced and some resources for those who wish to learn more about them.

Keywords: National Institutes of Health; Office of Dietary Supplements; complementary medicine; dietary supplements; food supplements; natural health product; regulatory challenges; scientific challenges; supplement science; traditional medicines.

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Conflict of interest statement

Johanna T. Dwyer holds stock in several food and drug companies, and serves on the scientific advisory boards of Conagra Foods, McCormick Spices, and as a consultant for Gerber/Nestle. She accepted partial travel and per diem expenses to speak at a symposium on dietary supplements sponsored by the International Association of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations at the International Congress of Nutrition in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October 2017. Michael J. Smith holds stock in several food and drug companies as well as acting as a consultant with clients in both the private and public sector including companies in dietary supplement and natural health products sector. He sits on the scientific advisory board of ISURA and the advisory board of the American Botanical Council. Paul M. Coates reports no conflicts of interest.

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