Industry Suggests Increase In Spiked Supplements Reflects FDA Investment In Testing, Targeted Selection

10 Jul 2014

• By Elizabeth Crawford

The number of products marketed as supplements and identified as tainted in 2013 grew 136% from 2011 – the year after FDA announced it would take “swift and strong” enforcement action. Trends in recalls and public notifications likely reflect FDA’s investment in testing products, a strategy in need of updating, supplement industry trade groups say.

The number of products marketed as dietary ingredients found to contain potentially dangerous ingredients is climbing again after a dramatic drop immediately following FDA’s declaration of war on adulteration in late 2010, suggesting the agency may be directing more resources to testing supplements.

However, Daniel Fabricant, CEO and executive director of the Natural Products Association and former director of FDA’s Division of Dietary...