The supplement industry is ever changing, and new innovations are constantly launched in the market. Because of this, it’s important to stay on top of current rules and regulations, and even invest in a legal counsel to ensure your brand is set up for the ultimate success. 

Although the industry is known to be a bit relaxed at times, especially in comparison to the pharmaceutical industry, it is still a regulated industry. In fact, there are regulations for every aspect of the supplement industry from manufacturing, to labeling, to testing and more. 

Today’s regulations are primarily a result of the 2006 Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act and the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). However, the supplement industry is also regulated on a federal level in the United States by both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with many government agencies across all 50 states. 

In general, the FDA does not begin taking action on dietary supplements until after the product enters the marketplace. It is at this point that they determine if a product presents a significant or unreasonable risk of illness or injury. Otherwise, the federal law does not require dietary supplements to be proven safe to FDA’s satisfaction before they are marketed.

However, the FDA does require that every dietary supplement be labeled as such, either with the term “dietary supplement” or with a term that substitutes a description of the product’s dietary ingredient(s) for the word “dietary” (e.g., “herbal supplement” or “calcium supplement”). If these rules are not followed, the FDA has the authority to remove all products that are adulterated or misbranded. 

On the other hand, the FTC is what governs the advertising, including ads broadcast on radio and television, of dietary supplements. It is not legal to market a dietary supplement as a cure or treatment for a specific disease, or even to alleviate the symptoms of a disease.

As a cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) manufacturer, Sawgrass Nutra Labs follows all FDA regulations to ensure that all of our customers’ products meet these standards. Contact us today to learn how we can help manufacture your product while ensuring safety and compliance.