The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has announced a four-month celebration and awareness campaign of self-regulation in the dietary supplements industry, called “Responsible. It’s Our Middle Name.”
 
The campaign will raise attention within the industry and among other stakeholders of the importance of self-regulation to maintain and improve consumer confidence and highlight many of CRN’s existing voluntary self-policing programs.
 
Since 1973, CRN has spearheaded initiatives to foster responsible practices that elevate member companies and the industry. The celebration will showcase the associations self-regulatory initiatives that have included: a code of ethics; the Supplement OWL (Online Wellness Library); a library of voluntary guidelines and best practices; the development of a Standardized Information on Dietary Ingredients (SIDI) protocol and related guidelines; and a program to increase monitoring of dietary supplement advertising in partnership with the National Advertising Division of the Council of the Better Business Bureaus.
 
Earlier this year, CRN released two new voluntary guidelines covering melatonin and gummy-form supplements, at a time when these two supplement formats experienced a rise in popularity, resulting in widespread consumer press coverage. These programs added to CRN’s voluntary guidelines, best practices, and considerations materials developed by CRN members to challenge the broader industry to develop, manufacture, and market products of high quality and give consumers accurate information.
 
CRN reports that there has been “continuing lack of awareness by some healthcare professionals and mainstream media,” surrounding dietary supplements and how they’re regulated, with articles frequently claiming that supplements are unregulated, with hyperbolic statements that the industry operates as “the wild, wild West.”
 
Along with the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which reached its 30^th anniversary this year, as well as oversight and federal requirements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, self-regulation has also played a prominent role in helping the industry to grow, CRN stated. CRN members also commit to observing the association’s voluntary programs “that provide additional evidence of a well-regulated industry focused on its consumers.”
 
The campaign will run through the end of 2024, and will include messaging incorporated into CRN’s social media tools, website, member newsletters, bylines, and podcasts. A social media kit highlighting responsible industry practices will be shared with members, and CRN’s website will be refreshed to make the self-regulatory information more accessible for members and non-members alike. The campaign will feature testimonials from members who have played integral roles in the CRN task forces and working groups that developed these measures to discuss the importance of this work.
 
“The ongoing refrain and misinformation surrounding supplement regulation, along with the coverage we earned announcing our melatonin and gummy form guidelines, make this an opportune moment for this campaign,” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN. “With so many Americans safely using supplements, we hope to increase awareness among the general public on how self-regulation has bolstered the quality and safety of the industry with tailored safeguards that address our products’ unique aspects, ensuring quality and consistency. While it does not replace FDA oversight, it complements and reinforces regulatory frameworks and our members are proud to uphold these practices in their daily work.”
 
CRN has a tiered system of self-regulatory directives, and membership requires adherence to the highest-priority provisions. Members are urged to comply with the remaining standards within a specified time frame after they’re adopted. All standards have been published on CRN’s website.
 
“Establishing and adhering to robust industry standards is essential for demonstrating product integrity and building consumer confidence,” said Tara Martin, board chair at CRN and general counsel at Nutrawise. “I am very proud of the self-regulatory initiatives we have created at CRN. It’s important for companies to come together—companies of different sizes, some focused on ingredients, others on finished products—and align on guidelines and standards that protect consumers and our industry’s reputation. It’s important work, and I’m delighted to be personally involved with it.”