Once again, the Natural Products Association (NPA) is seeding a grassroots campaign to fight Congressional opposition to the dietary supplement industry and DSHEA. In the wake of Illinois Sen. Dick Durbins latest bill, this one proposing mandatory dietary supplement company registration and an FDA/IOM-compiled list of potentially dangerous ingredients, NPA is urging its 1,900-plus members to send letters to their legislators asking them to oppose Durbins bill, the Dietary Supplement Labeling Act.

The supplement industry may be a bit preoccupied with the NDI guidance released by FDA at right about the same time as Durbins bill was introduced, and with all the financial business currently clogging Congress, as well as supplement industry proponents on the committee charged with processing the proposed bill, Durbins legislation may face a tough road in the Senate, but it is still a threat.

 It may appear that this proposal has an uphill climb in this Congress, but it is important that we do not let bad bills get any traction, said John Gay, executive director and CEO of NPA, who noted NPA prefers FDA enforcement of existing laws over new, redundant legislation. If we do not make our position known, we could find ourselves facing a bill with 30 co-sponsors. Things change in Congress, and when and if this bill moves we want it to start from the one yard line, not from the 50.

NPA members can send a letter by via NPAs special web page for the anti-Durbin-bill campaign.

Read more about the Durbin bill here.