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Archive April 2024
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IADSA Newsflash for April 2024
- By: AHPA
- On: 04/29/2024 11:49:26
- In: Regulation / Legislation
April 29, 2024
AHPA is an active member of IADSA, an association focused on the globalization of food supplement markets and regulatory challenges. AHPA distributes the IADSA Newsflash This issue covers:
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The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare has established a dedicated website to provide information about adverse events associated with red yeast rice products sold in Japan.
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India is taking steps to tighten regulations for supplements due to complaints about non-compliant products.
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Taiwan has updated its regulations for prepackaged food products.
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The European Commission (EC) has asked member states to monitor the presence of nickel in food supplements and a number of food products.
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The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducted a call for data regarding exposure to lycopene in response to a request by the EC.
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EFSA has restarted its Botanical Community of Knowledge initiative, being led by interested member states.
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The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare initiated a consultation to develop guidance documents for healthcare professionals and patients/consumers regarding the use of herbal food supplements.
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The EC released new consultation results on three CBD products as part of novel food status assessment.
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Denmark, France, and Germany have updated guidance on some vitamin and mineral maximum levels.
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Finland has issued revised nutrition and health claims guidance.
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Romania has issued a positive list for botanicals that may be used in food supplements.
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The Netherlands Ministry of Health has received a recommendation to implement a notification system for food supplement products to enhance safety measures and better protect consumers.
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Dutch authorities conducted assessments of three botanicals, including ashwagandha, and issued cautionary recommendations for each.
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Brazil has updated its notification requirements for the marketing of food and food supplements.
Herbs in History: Ricinus & Hellebore
April 25, 2024
Enjoying these herbal history lessons? Don’t forget to share with your network using the buttons at the top of every entry!
In an effort to preserve and share the fascinating histories of medicinal plants and herbs that have been used around the world for ages, the AHPA Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals (AHPA-ERB Foundation) is honored to partner with Alain Touwaide, Ph.D., and Emanuela Appetiti of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions to launch the Herbs in History project in 2022.
The histories of Ricinus and hellebore are the latest herbs explored. Preview the entries below and visit Herbs in History online to read more.

Ricinus (Ricinus communis L.)
An Egyptian poison?
Ricinus communis L. (castor oil tree) (Euphorbiaceae) has a strange history from ticks to castors! The only species in the genus, Ricinus communis L. has been supposed for a long time to have an obscure origin, possibly India. Research has now determined that is most probably native to North-Eastern Africa (Somalia/Ethiopia). | Read more...
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.)
Treating madness?
Hellebore (Helleborus spp.) has a long history of use for the treatment of states of consciousness considered to be madness. The most famous example of this treatment is perhaps the fable The Hare and the Tortoise by the 17th-century French writer of the classical period, Jean de la Fontaine (1621-1695). | Read more...
About the Project
Herbs in History is made possible by funding from the AHPA-ERB Foundation, as part of the nonprofit foundation’s mission promote education and research on medicinal, therapeutic, and health-promoting herbs. Tune in monthly for thoughtfully detailed historical accounts of herbs you know and love, and learn more about the origins of medicinal plants that have stood the test of time.
Amazon: New dietary supplement policy applies to sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition products
- By: AHPA
- On: 04/18/2024 13:57:06
- In: Industry News
At this time, multi-vitamin products appear to be low priorities for policy enforcement
April 18, 2024
On April 2, Amazon announced policy changes that now require additional third-party verification of dietary supplement products. While the policy as written applies to all dietary supplements, Amazon has specified that, at this time, the new policy applies to sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition/body building dietary supplement products.
In a webinar hosted on April 17 to address questions about the new policy, Amazon stated in both the presentation and accompanying handout that sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition/body building dietary supplements sold via the platform to U.S. customers specifically require direct verification from approved third-party Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) organizations that the products comply with Amazon’s policy.
Some dietary supplement products requiring action to meet the new policy have already been flagged for sellers. In conversations with individuals informed on the matter, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has learned that Amazon expects to begin applying and enforcing this new policy within 90 days of its announcement (i.e., no later than July 1).
In the webinar, Amazon also confirmed that compliance documents – such as reports of test results, Certificates of Analysis (CoAs), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certificates – will not be accepted from sellers or other labs. Rather, Amazon indicated that the company must receive these documents directly from one of the third-party TIC organizations that Amazon has engaged for testing. The TIC organizations currently engaged by Amazon for this purpose are Eurofins, UL Solutions, and NSF International. Companies that have current reports of test results from ISO 17025 certified labs may provide this documentation to the third-party TIC organization that they are working with to document compliance.
Based on Amazon’s prioritization of sexual enhancement, weight management, and sports nutrition/body building dietary supplements as well as discussions with AHPA members, multi-vitamin products appear to be low priorities for policy enforcement. Amazon has acknowledged that there may be exceptions to the new policy and has an appeal process in place for sellers who believe that their products do not require testing verification.
AHPA will continue to engage with Amazon on dietary supplement matters as part of our work to ensure consumer access to safe, high quality dietary supplements and support a robust marketplace for these sought-after products. AHPA members are invited to contact Michael McGuffin (mmcguffin@ahpa.org) and Robert Marriott (rmarriott@ahpa.org) directly with questions or concerns about Amazon’s dietary supplement policy.
NIH ODS announces new funding opportunities for advancing research on botanicals and other natural products
April 16, 2024
In a bulletin distributed last week, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) Director Stefan M. Pasiakos, Ph.D., announced three new funding opportunities with the NIH Consortium for Advancing Research on Botanical and Other Natural Products (CARBON) Program in partnership with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the National Institute of Drug Abuse:
Botanical Dietary Supplements Translational Research Teams
A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a component of the 2025-2029 NIH CARBON Program to support trans-disciplinary, translational research on chemically complex botanical products or natural products traditionally used as dietary components, with a single receipt date of July 8, 2024.
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Technical Assistance Webinar for RFA-OD-24-014 - “Botanical Dietary Supplements Translational Research Teams on May 7, 2024.
Leveraging Data at Scale to Understand Natural Product Impacts on Whole Person Health
A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a component of the 2025-2029 NIH CARBON Program to support development of computational tools to analyze data sets related to natural products in relation to biological activity and role in the context of whole person health research, with a single receipt date of June 28, 2024.
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Technical Assistance Webinar for RFA-AT-24-008 “Leveraging Data at Scale to Understand Natural Product Impacts on Whole Person Health (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)” on April 30, 2024.
Limited Competition: Research Resource for Natural Product Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Data
A limited competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a component of the 2025-2029 NIH CARBON Program to promote the sustainability, scaling and wider community inclusiveness of the established NMR research resource, with a single receipt date of July 8, 2024.
“These funding opportunities will continue to advance our understanding of the mechanisms of action, bioavailability, and optimal product chemistry of promising botanical dietary supplements,” stated Dr. Pasiakos in his Director’s Message. “Most importantly, they will identify objective outcomes relevant to studying human health. They will also support the expansion of a nuclear magnetic resonance database for natural products and the development of computational tools to help scientists use the database and drive natural product research forward.”
Developed by NIH in partnership with NCCIH in 1999, CARBON supports numerous Botanical Dietary Supplement Research Centers and research projects at those centers with a focus on both characterizing botanical dietary supplements and evaluating their health effects.
To learn more about the CARBON Program and the recent funding opportunities, visit the CARBON Program webpage on the ODS website.
AHPA Project Scientist attends Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference
April 11, 2024
From left: Ed Fletcher (Native Botanicals, Inc.), Holly Chittum (AHPA), John Munsell (Virginia Tech), Steven Yeager (Mountain Rose Herbs), and Nate Brennan (Pacific Botanicals)
American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Project Scientist Holly Chittum recently attended the 2024 Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference hosted by the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition (ABFFC). The event was held March 22-24 in Roanoke, VA and featured learning, networking, and strategic planning programs that will shape the future of forest farming of woodland crops such as botanicals, mushrooms, and decorative products in Appalachia and beyond.
ABFFC is a network of forest farmers, forestland owners, universities, and governmental and non-governmental organizations lead by John Munsell (Virginia Tech) that share a common goal of improving agroforestry production opportunities and farming capabilities among forest farmers. More information about coalition partners and members can be found here.
Attending AHPA members – including Ed Fletcher (Native Botanicals, Inc.), Steven Yeager (Mountain Rose Herbs), and Nate Brennan (Pacific Botanicals) – met with raw materials producers, attended sessions, and participated in a panel on post-harvest handling and value addition. In addition to the members pictured, Lauren Nichols (WishGarden Herbs) and Susan Leopold (United Plant Savers) also attended the conference. Holly Chittum is a founding partner and previous project co-director of ABFFC.
Amazon increases third party verification requirements for dietary supplements
- By: AHPA
- On: 04/09/2024 11:54:32
- In: Industry News
April 9, 2024
Amazon recently announced and has begun to apply a new policy requiring additional third-party verification of dietary supplement products. With this announcement, the company has split its preexisting dietary supplements policy into two policies, the first covering dietary supplements generally and the second covering dietary supplement finished product certificates of analysis (CoAs) specifically.
Previously, companies were required to submit accredited third-party certification of compliance with good manufacturing practices, and they could generally submit finished product CoAs issued by an in-house laboratory. The new CoA policy does not include references to in-house laboratories, indicating that Amazon now requires a third party to provide CoAs.
Further, finished product testing requirements now explicitly state that third-party verification is required to confirm that products are within dietary ingredient labeling tolerances defined in federal regulation. They also require verification that finished dietary supplements do not contain contaminants such as heavy metals and pesticide residues in accordance with NSF/ANSI or USP requirements.
Additionally, CoAs for sexual enhancement, weight loss/management, and sports nutrition dietary supplements must include testing for a set of compounds that are outlined in NSF/ANSI 173-2024. The policy had previously included a defined list of adulterant substances that were part of required testing for such products.
Evidence of product enrollment or participation in NSF/ANSI 173 or 229 certification, renewed annually, will meet the requirements of the new policy.
Amazon will be hosting a webinar on April 17 at 11am PT (2pm ET) to answer questions about the new policy. Members with interest can register for the webinar here.
AHPA’s Herbs of Commerce, 3rd ed., receives 2024 ABC James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award
The annual award recognizes books that contribute significantly to medicinal plant-related literature
April 4, 2024
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is pleased to announce that AHPA’s Herbs of Commerce, 3rd ed., has received the 2024 American Botanical Council (ABC) James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award in the reference/technical category.
ABC gives the Duke Award annually to books that contribute significantly to medicinal plant-related literature and the fields of botany, taxonomy, ethnobotany, pharmacognosy, phytomedicine, and other related disciplines. The award was created in 2006 to honor economic botanist, ethnobotanist, and author James A. Duke, Ph.D. (1929–2017).
Herbs of Commerce provides guidance on consistent naming of botanical ingredients on product labels, especially those marketed in the United States as dietary supplements. The third edition contains entries for over 2,800 separate plant species, over 1,000 botanical synonyms, over 300 Ayurvedic names, and over 700 pinyin names.
AHPA published the first edition of Herbs of Commerce in 1992 as self-governing guidance to reduce confusion associated with labeling botanical ingredients and established a single “standardized” common name for each listed herb. In 2000, AHPA published the second edition of Herbs of Commerce with the aim to expand and update each subsequent edition to reflect herbs presently on the market and contemporary botanical nomenclature, a practice that continued with the publication of the third and latest edition in 2023.
The first edition of Herbs of Commerce took the force of federal law when it was incorporated by reference in 1997 as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated rulemaking to implement the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. In November 2023, AHPA submitted a Citizen Petition amendment requesting that FDA amend the federal regulation referencing the first edition of Herbs of Commerce to reflect the updated, third edition.
“It is an honor and privilege for Herbs of Commerce, 3rd ed., to be recognized with the James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award,” said AHPA President Michael McGuffin, who served as an editor for the second and third editions. “It reflects the dedication and expertise of the editorial team, Expert Advisory Council, sponsors, and all those who contributed to this collaborative effort to provide a valuable industry resource. We extend our gratitude to ABC for this recognition and thank our members and the wider herbal and dietary supplement communities for their support.”
Herbs of Commerce, 3rd ed., is available now.
AHPA releases updated entry for kava in the online Botanical Safety Handbook
- By: AHPA
- On: 04/01/2024 11:56:53
- In: AHPA Publications & Resources
The updated entry provides additional safety information amidst growing public interest in kava
April 1, 2024
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has released an updated entry for kava (Piper methysticum G. Forst.) via the online Botanical Safety Handbook, 2nd ed.
The revision process added over 45 new literature references to the kava entry. These references provide recent scientific information related to the following:
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Pharmacological interactions with metabolism of drugs or supplements
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Other pharmacological studies of bioavailability and enzyme inhibition
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Analysis of adverse events and case reports
In addition, a new Food Use section is established in the entry, noting kava’s history of traditional use as a beverage. The Editors’ Notes section is expanded to provide context for the distinct phytochemical profiles between traditional (water-extracted) and contemporary extraction processes using organic solvents. The Standard Dose section is also updated to recognize these different forms of kava.
“We encourage consumers of any herbal substance, including kava, to take safety information available in the Botanical Safety Handbook and from other reputable sources into consideration when making choices about their personal health and wellness,” said Jane Wilson, AHPA Director of Program Development.
AHPA members can obtain an annual individual subscription to the online Botanical Safety Handbook or a hard copy for $95.00, with multi-user rates available for companies needing expanded access. Information about subscriptions and hard copy purchases can be found on the AHPA website.
Subscribers to the online Botanical Safety Handbook can review short descriptions of updated entries in the "Revisions" panel on the online version homepage when they log in. The online Botanical Safety Handbook is undergoing review of existing entries and the addition of new entries to provide the latest safety information before it can be included in the next print edition of the handbook. AHPA will continue to post additional updates to existing entries as well as develop new botanical entries.
AHPA's Botanical Safety Handbook is an essential tool for anyone who manufactures, recommends, or uses herbal products. The handbook provides safety information on over 500 species of herbs, derived from data compiled from clinical trials, pharmacological and toxicological studies, medical case reports, and historical texts. All entries are reviewed by an Expert Advisory Council that includes some of the most renowned herbal and integrative medicine experts in the United States.