AHPA Updates

The April 2020 AHPA Report covers COVID-19, including a message from AHPA President Michael McGuffin, free resources and information for the herbal community and a summary of recent federal announcements about FDA inspections and supplement manufacturers and employees being designated as essential.

The U.S. dietary supplement industry commends the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for taking action to protect consumers by calling out marketers who make illegal and unsubstantiated drug claims related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. In February, the industry issued strong warning to companies and consumers to avoid marketing or using dietary supplements that are presented as treating, curing or preventing COVID-19.

This issue of the IADSA Newsflash covers the European Commission's draft regulation directed at botanicals containing hydroxyanthracene derivatives (HADs), Belgium recently published guidance on the analysis for four new plants, Ireland survey of cannabidiol (CBD) products that found a majority were not in compliance with various regulations, Norway's risk assessment of caffeine and more.

Revised guidance provides numerous and significant additional details in identifying essential critical infrastructure workers and sectors in several categories, including, among others, healthcare, law enforcement, transportation, and food and agriculture.

AHPA congratulates the eight members who were elected to serve three-year terms on the AHPA Board of Trustees. The AHPA Board of Trustees Election is usually held at AHPA's Annual Member Meeting and Breakfast at Expo West, but this year's election was conducted online.

Federal, state, and local governments’ actions to address the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 have consistently included recommendations promoting or directives requiring social distancing as a key protective measure to minimize community spread of this disease. In making stay-at-home recommendations or issuing shelter-in-place orders, health agencies and other official bodies have identified certain industries as “essential businesses” or “critical infrastructure” whose employees and operations are (or should be) exempt from these recommendations and directives.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened a teleconference meeting on March 18 (FDA Briefing for Foods Stakeholders on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)), which was attended by AHPA president Michael McGuffin and by representatives of AHPA’s general counsel, Kleinfeld, Kaplan & Becker, LLP.

In a series of three letters to federal, state, and local governments, AHPA joined healthcare and food organizations to request that uniform language be included in shelter-at-home orders that provide direction to employees working in various industries related to dietary supplements, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals.

Resources included on this page are intended to assist our members on their sustainability journey and inclusion does not represent verification or endorsement by AHPA. If you feel there are resources missing or if something is included here that does not meet high sustainability standards, please let contact AHPA.

As we all try to adapt to rapid changes, please note that the services AHPA provides and the commitment we share with you to our mission to support responsible commerce in herbal products will not change. We are taking precautions in response to this current emergency, so AHPA’s staff are now all working remotely. Each of us can be reached at our normal phone numbers and email addresses (see here).