Sen.McCain response to my letter on supplements: Your Take?

[Yates21]

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010. I appreciate knowing your views on this issue.

As you know, on February 3, 2009, Senator Byron Dorgan and I introduced, S. 3002, the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010. The legislation would have required dietary supplement manufacturers to clearly list on the product's label the ingredients of any dietary supplement, mandated that all dietary supplement manufacturing facilities register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and provided the FDA with the ability to recall any dietary supplement found by the FDA to cause serious, adverse health consequences or death. This legislation was supported by many different groups including Consumers Union (the non-profit arm of the popular magazine Consumer Reports), the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Shortly after introduction, Senator Dorgan and I met with numerous parties that shared with us their concerns about our bill. Due to these meetings, we agreed not to pursue enactment of S. 3002 and instead put our efforts and support behind S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization bill. The Food Safety bill includes many of the common-sense proposals that were included in S. 3002 that are supported by both consumer groups and the dietary supplement and vitamin manufacturers. Specifically, the Food Safety bill would require registration of dietary supplement manufacturing facilities, provide the FDA with mandatory recall authority and mandate the FDA notify the Drug Enforcement Administration when a new dietary ingredient premarket notification is rejected because it is found to contain synthetic anabolic steroids. These common-sense policies are supported by Consumer Union, the dietary supplement and vitamin manufacturers, the United States Anti-Doping Agency and other groups.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition(CRN), which is the leading trade association representing dietary supplement manufacturers, ingredient suppliers and retailers (such as GNC stores) wrote to me on March 19, 2010 to express its appreciation for my support of these common-sense policies included in the Food Safety bill. As you can see in the attached letter, CRN stated, "Your call for additional transparency within the industry and a greater investment in FDA, and its authority, is a message shared by CRN. We likewise share your concerns about designer anabolic steroids that may show up in a product calling itself a 'dietary supplement' and work to rid the industry of these stowaway producers on our legitimate industry . CRN has always been a vocal proponent of reasonable regulation . We stand with you in your endeavors to ensure this reality."

I look forward to working on Senate passage of S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization bill to ensure the safety of all consumers, and I welcome the dietary supplement and vitamin manufactures support. Let me assure you, the Food Safety bill would not jeopardize your rights to purchase dietary supplements, vitamins or prescriptions, which is why it is supported by consumers groups as well as dietary supplement and vitamin manufacturers. Again, thank you for sharing your views. Please feel free to contact me on this or any other matter of concern.


Sincerely,


John McCain
United States Senator

[Youngguns]

synopsis?

[Ryan Bracewell]

My take is that he never saw your letter, and that is a generic response written by his people and sent out as their reply to that bill/issue regardless of whether you were for or against it.

[ccn916]

My take is that he never saw your letter, and that is a generic response written by his people and sent out as their reply to that bill/issue regardless of whether you were for or against it.

I Agree with this.

["Rodz"]

I Agree with this.

x 2

the only hope is with enough responses they take notice

[jasons805]

I bet John read it and they went out to Hooters over the weekend and had beers. I am all for good labling and testing. To easy for people to sell you bullshit.

[hifrommike65]

Anything supported by the US Anti-Doping Agency I am against.

[jstevenson460]

These bills are all pushed by lobbyist for the large Pharmacutical companies because they want control of all Supplements! If they get their way, you will only get your supplements by prescription! Keep writting letters against any bills that help big Pharm companies to get their way!

[Kitty Kat]

My take is that he never saw your letter, and that is a generic response written by his people and sent out as their reply to that bill/issue regardless of whether you were for or against it.

It's a shame

[lomox]

How many times mentioning "common-sense" does it take to make it true? LOL. Not that I disagree with McCain, but I can't help but snicker at the way politicians (or thier writers) manipulate the English language.

[Wh1teruss1an]

My take is that he never saw your letter, and that is a generic response written by his people and sent out as their reply to that bill/issue regardless of whether you were for or against it.

this is unfortunately the truth.