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Dietary Supplements
Walk down the health aisle of any neighborhood drug store or discount store and you will
find yourself surrounded by a variety of diet aids and athletic performance enhancers. Labels
tout safe and easy weight loss, increased muscle gain, or a host of other benefits. Dietary
supplements are at the center of a contentious debate surrounding whether or not our current
laws adequately protect the public health.
The passing of Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler, the
acknowledgement of an additional 154 reported cases of death that
may have been caused by ephedra use, ephedra bans in several
states, and the Food and Drug Administration's decision to ban
ephedra has turned dietary supplements into a topic of everyday
conversation.
The FDA's decision to protect consumers from ephedra was welcomed by many consumer
advocates. However, I am concerned that the FDA still does not have the tools necessary
to carry out its public health mission and safeguard our loved ones. Because this is a topic
that should be looked at carefully and is extremely controversial, I have assembled this page
to provide you with more information.
*Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open some of the following documents.
Floor Statement
on the Dietary Supplement and Awareness Act (DSAA) Articles
Dietary Supplement Access and Awareness Act, H.R. 3156
Letters of support
