Gaps in Supplement Enforcement and the Need for Greater Industry Transparency

In this Pharmacy Times interview, Andrew Shao, PhD, senior vice president for global regulatory and scientific affairs at Niagen Bioscience, discusses ongoing challenges in dietary supplement regulation and enforcement. He explains that although modern regulations, such as good manufacturing practices and mandatory adverse event reporting, have strengthened oversight, limited FDA resources have hindered consistent enforcement. Shao compares the current landscape to having “speed limit signs without enough police,” noting that inadequate oversight has allowed questionable products to proliferate, particularly across e-commerce platforms. He also highlights industry efforts to improve transparency and consumer trust through independent product testing, publicly available certificates of analysis, and peer-reviewed research supporting product quality.