Blog
AHPA reflects on 40-year history of defending herb safety as part of continued commitment to move industry forward
For the last 40 years, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has defended the safety of herbs and herbal ingredients and worked to ensure that herbal products remain accessible to our families, friends, and neighbors. As the industry has grown—through research, innovation, and increased interest in health and wellness—so too have the challenges that threaten the reputation and availability of safe, high-quality dietary supplements and other natural products. To address such challenges, we look to both our history as an association and our vision for the future of the industry.
Institutional memory
This year was a special one for us: AHPA was founded in 1982, making 2022 our 40th anniversary. We have celebrated all year in many ways, including by showcasing the many herbs at the heart of our industry through our 40 Herbs We Love campaign and inviting members to contribute articles about their fondest memories of AHPA for our monthly newsletter. In addition to these sentimental festivities, we honor our history every day by leveraging AHPA's institutional memory to guide our ongoing efforts to move the industry forward.
Over the past four decades and under the leadership of many well-known and still-active industry pioneers, AHPA has actively engaged with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulators to defend access to safe herbal ingredients. These prominent leaders (past and present) and our history of FDA engagement were on full display in March at AHPA's annual member meeting at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California.