Saying “there is little product reliability,” the institute called for tougher regulations of dietary supplement products on January 12. At a briefing that day, Dr. Stuart Bondurant, chairman of the committee that prepared the institute’s report, said: “Reliable and standardized products are needed.”
In the report, the institute urged that complementary and alternative medicine, such as herbal remedies and acupuncture, be required to meet the same standards as conventional medical treatments. Requiring the same research standards “will further the scientific investigation of this new field, increase its legitimacy as a research area, and ultimately improve public health,” said Dr. Stephen E. Straus, director of the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine.
Dietary supplements, the report pointed out, need not be proven safe before they can be sold; sale can only be prohibited if FDA can prove they are harmful. Also, unlike regulated drugs, companies are not required to report adverse reactions.
The report also said that the Federal Trade Commission has reported a flurry of unfounded or exaggerated claims for supplement products. It called on Congress and federal agencies to set standards for manufacturing quality. The Institute of Medicine is a part of the National Academy of Science, an organization chartered by Congress for scientific advice.
