CRN backs new House supplement registry bill

WASHINGTON — Momentum is building in Congress to increase transparency in the dietary supplement market, as lawmakers advance legislation to strengthen oversight and consumer confidence. A new House bill mirrors ongoing efforts in the Senate, signaling growing bipartisan and bicameral interest in establishing a federal product registry to improve visibility into a fast-growing and often opaque category.

In response to the introduction of new legislation, Steve Mister, President and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), released the following statement:

A Statement from Steve Mister, President and CEO, CRN

CRN welcomes Representative Maxine Dexter’s (D-OR) introduction of a House version of the Dietary Supplement Listing Act, which adds growing momentum to the calls for radical transparency in the dietary supplement industry. CRN has been unwavering its commitment to bring accountability to the supplement marketplace through a public registry of labels that strengthens FDA oversight while remaining feasible for manufacturers to implement. This week’s introduction furthers that objective. 

For too long, gaps in visibility have allowed bad actors to exploit the marketplace—introducing adulterated or misbranded products that undermine consumer trust and tarnish the reputation of responsible companies. A federal dietary supplement registry is a commonsense solution designed to shine sunlight into the marketplace, enabling FDA to more efficiently identify problems and for retailers to better curate their offerings with quality products.

Arguments suggesting FDA already has sufficient visibility ignore a fundamental reality: the agency itself has repeatedly stated it does not have a comprehensive view of products currently on the market. Product listing directly addresses that gap without altering the fundamental framework of DSHEA or restricting consumer access.

Feigned objections about increased litigation risk or regulatory burden from exposing product information similarly miss the mark as other databases and online platforms already disclose identifying information, just not all in one place, and CRN’s own Supplement OWL demonstrates proof of concept with minimal burden on industry. Providing that information to FDA in a standardized format is a reasonable expectation in a $60+ billion marketplace that serves nearly three-quarters of American adults.

While we recognize some differences between Rep. Dexter’s legislation and the one previously introduced by Sen. Durbin, which CRN supports, both bills share the goal of enhancing consumer trust in the industry without sacrificing the foundational goals of DSHEA. CRN is pleased to see bicameral interest in this issue and looks forward to working with Rep. Dexter to address the differences and advance her legislation.