Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) for 25 years, died on Feb. 17 at age 73. His leadership cemented AHPA as the leading trade association for herbal and botanical products in the U.S., and he was known as a trailblazing advocate for access to botanical products, industry self-regulation, and the safety and efficacy of herbal medicine.

McGuffin was born on Sept. 19, 1951 in Louisville, Kentucky. After the dissolution of the Herb Trade Association in 1981, AHPA was founded in 1982 to advocate and provide resources for the development of a responsible herb industry.

McGuffin, who had previously owned and operated herbal supplement retail and manufacturing businesses, joined the AHPA Board in 1995 and assumed the role of president in 1999, succeeding Lynda LeMole. LeMole was quoted as saying that McGuffin was “an absolutely remarkable champion for AHPA and the herb industry. I think that we couldn’t ask for better.”

Publications, Advocacy, and Initiatives

Under McGuffin’s leadership, AHPA published the second (2000) and third (2023) editions of its Herbs of Commerce guide and an expanded and revised second edition of the Botanical Safety Handbook (2013). McGuffin was the managing editor of the second edition of Herbs of Commerce and Botanical Safety Handbook.

In addition, he spearheaded AHPA initiatives including petitioning the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish adverse event reporting requirements for dietary supplements and nonprescription drugs (which was later codified into federal law), establishing guidance for quality standards for microbial contamination of herbal products, launching AHPA’s New Dietary Ingredients Database, and much more.

AHPA’s advocacy for a responsible, self-regulated herbal products industry under his tenure saw the introduction of voluntary trade requirements for its members and standards for the label “organic” on herbal products, and AHPA representatives frequently met with lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill to discuss issues affecting the industry.

McGuffin edited many AHPA publications and authored articles that were published in journals including Food and Drug Law Journal and Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. He also authored AHPA’s Annotated Final Rule on Dietary Supplement cGMP (2007).

He served as a member of the FDA Food Advisory Committee Working Group on Good Manufacturing Practices for Dietary Supplements (1998–1999) and Dietary Supplements Subcommittee (2003–2005), California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Analysis Food Warning Workgroup (2008–2010), and the Advisory Board of the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy’s Regulatory Science master’s degree program. He also served on the boards of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and United Plant Savers.

Awards and Honors

McGuffin was awarded the Cliff Adler Heart in Business award in 1994 and the Nutrition Business Journal Award for Efforts on Behalf of Industry in 2004 and 2012. In 2021, he received the American Botanical Council’s (ABC’s) Mark Blumenthal Herbal Community Builder Award. The award, named after ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal, is given annually to individuals who have played a significant role in creating a sense of connection and community among herbalists, botanical researchers, members of the herb and natural products communities and industries, and others who work with medicinal and aromatic plants. In 2024, he received the NutraChampion Award from NutraIngredients-USA.

In Their Own Words …

By Loren Israelsen, United Natural Products Alliance:

The Michael McGuffin I knew delighted in higher math, physics, and ladyslipper. His views were clear on matters, as were the lines of disagreement. (He was of Celtic descent, afterall.) He had the great gift of clarity of thought and opinion. His fondness to share a new recipe he had been working on always found its way into our business phone calls. He admired the eclectic physicians of the past century who took the best ideas and blended them into something better, because he, too, was eclectic. 

​Michael’s remarkable memory for detail served us well when debates about arcane DSHEA history arose. Among his colleagues, single malt scotch was preferred, but Michael favored a fine Kentucky bourbon. A Pappy Van Winkle would suit just fine. His southern roots were never far away. His collection of rare herbals was widely admired. It seemed to me their authors were his chosen intellectual lineage. 

He walked with equal confidence the halls of Congress, the great herb gardens of the world, and his own quiet paths known to few of us. And for a good number of years, our paths joined in cause and purpose. Herbs were his delight. AHPA was his stewardship. His garden will miss him, as will I.

By Mark Blumenthal, American Botanical Council:

Michael was tireless, dedicated, passionate, very effective, and often the “smartest guy in the room.” He was a repository of extensively detailed institutional memory of the herb industry in the United States, going back to the days of his own herb company in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the fledgling industry was obviously much smaller and much less complex and sophisticated than it is today.

He was a master of key information on a wide spectrum of significant issues necessary for the success of small, medium, and large herb businesses. He had the ability to deal with both the forest and the trees: While being able to attend to the fine points and nuances of state and federal regulation, Michael also had a wide, strategic vision. His shepherding of AHPA’s leadership in numerous key industry areas — such as common names for plants in commerce (via AHPA’s Herbs of Commerce books) and establishing credible information for rational and responsible safety labeling of herb products (AHPA’s Botanical Safety Handbook) — has contributed enormously to responsible practices in the herb trade and the vibrancy of the herbal products industry.

All companies that sell herbs and botanical ingredients in the United States owe a debt of gratitude to Michael (and AHPA), and they should be supporting AHPA and Michael’s work and laudable legacy.

When the history of the herb industry in the United States is written — 50 or perhaps 100 years from now — Michael will be at the top of the list of people who have been instrumental in building the modern herb industry.

The US herb industry is flying its virtual green flag at half-staff in honor of Michael.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition:

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) joins the natural products community in mourning the passing of Michael McGuffin, a steadfast advocate and influential leader in the dietary supplement and herbal products industry.

For more than two decades, Michael served as the president of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), where he was a tireless champion for consumer access, industry best practices, and broader appreciation for the role of botanicals in better health. Under his leadership, AHPA played a crucial role in shaping federal and state policies affecting herbal supplements, ensuring the industry’s voice was heard in regulatory discussions.

Michael was not only a leader but also a hands-on, detail-oriented advocate who immersed himself in the intricacies of regulatory language, botanical science, and industry challenges. His deep expertise and meticulous approach helped set standards that strengthened the credibility and trustworthiness of the herbal products industry. Whether dissecting policy nuances or guiding his members on compliance, Michael’s thoughtful and precise insights were invaluable. His passion for herbal medicine and dedication to the industry leave an enduring legacy. 

CRN extends our heartfelt condolences to Michael’s family, friends, and colleagues. His leadership, wisdom, and presence will be deeply missed, but his impact will live on in the vibrant industry he helped shape.

Janet Zand, traditional Chinese medicine specialist, author, and former business partner of McGuffin at their company McZand Herbal, wrote: “Many people know Michael from his extraordinary service at AHPA, but Michael was elevating the herbal industry for 20 years before his epic tenure at AHPA. He was able to grow just about anything — his delicious garden, our company, AHPA — anything. Michael set an extraordinary bar wherever he went. He and his legacy will remain in our hearts and minds forever.”

Countless colleagues and friends offered remembrances and honors of McGuffin on social media.

Nutraceuticals World offers sympathies and condolences to Michael’s family, loved ones, and the entire herbal products community.