ASCPT panel releases position statement on dietary supplement oversight.

A panel organized by the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT), Alexandria, VA, recently released a position statement recommending increased oversight of dietary supplements by the FDA, according to the March 2005 issue of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Jason Morrow, MD, F. chief of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, presented the panel's conclusions on March 4th at the society's annual meeting in Orlando, FL. The panel collectively feels that "enhanced oversight of dietary supplements is essential to increase the safety of these products for the American consumer." Some of the panel's specific recommendations included:

* Improve the detection, reporting and monitoring of adverse events (AEs) by the FDA.

* Implement FDA's proposed current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) to improve product quality and safety of supplements.

* Expand the labeling system to include contact information for reporting adverse events.

* Provide enhanced educational opportunities on dietary supplements to healthcare professionals and consumers.

* Enhance research opportunities on adverse events and efficacy of dietary supplements.

ASCPT believes that enhanced oversight of dietary supplements and research to better determine dietary supplement safety and efficacy will help to identify their potential for harm, as well as their benefits. It also says a coordinated effort among dietary supplement manufacturers, government oversight and research agencies, the healthcare community and the public to discuss supplement use, AEs or suspected supplement interactions with other supplements, drugs or OTC products will help build and sustain a solid knowledge base and advance overall health and wellness.