June 19, 2008 – The Natural Products Foundation today issued the following statement regarding recent actions by the Food and Drug Administration in cracking down on bogus cancer cure claims. This statement is from Tracy Taylor, executive director of the foundation.

“While I can’t comment on a particular case, I can say that we’ve always urged full enforcement of the law in regard to dietary supplements and other natural products. So if someone is making illegal claims, the FDA or the FTC needs to take action and the Natural Products Foundation is in full support.
“I think it’s important to note from a broader perspective that the fact the FDA, or the FTC, for that matter, can exercise enforcement power is further evidence that the law – the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act – is working.

“One of the chief purposes of the foundation is to act as a resource for industry members and others regarding truth in advertising. Our goal is to make sure that these claims never get into print or on the Internet in the first place. We have an online resource center on the foundation Web site [www.naturalproductsfoundation.org] and will be hosting educational programs at upcoming trade shows for industry members.

“A very critical component of the foundation’s efforts is in regard to getting truthful and non-misleading information into the hands of consumers. Now that the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance has become part of the foundation, the Dietary Supplement Information Bureau [www.supplementinfo.org] is a great source for science-based information on dietary supplements.

“The foundation also allows consumers and others to register complaints about dietary supplement advertising that crosses the legal line. If a complaint is found to have merit by our legal review panel, we will take action, including potentially bringing the complaint to the appropriate regulatory agency.”
The Natural Products Foundation is organized exclusively to stimulate and support research, education and knowledge regarding dietary supplements, nutritional foods, and related products, with the overall objective of advancing the knowledge of the public, and thereby, improving the public health. The Natural Products Foundation is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Depending on the status of the donor (i.e., individual or corporation), all or part of contributions to the foundation are tax-deductible.