The DSHEA Preservation Alliance defends the integrity of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, protects the original intent of the law, and upholds the scientific and legal standards that safeguard public health and innovation.
The DSHEA Preservation Alliance defends the integrity of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, protects the original intent of the law, and upholds the scientific and legal standards that safeguard public health and innovation.
In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in response to overwhelming consumer demand and growing concerns that safe, natural health products could be removed from store shelves. Led by champions like Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), DSHEA was a bipartisan effort to protect access to dietary supplements while ensuring strong safety standards and clear regulatory oversight.
DSHEA created the legal definition of a dietary supplement and set the rules that still govern the $60+ billion U.S. supplement industry today. It struck a balance—preserving the public’s right to choose while empowering the FDA to act against unsafe or misleading products. Below, you’ll find the five key principles that make DSHEA vital to both consumer choice and scientific innovation.
DSHEA ensures that Americans can freely purchase and use vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other dietary supplements without needing a prescription. It was created to prevent government overreach and protect the public’s right to make informed decisions about their health, while still holding products to basic safety and labeling standards.
DSHEA ensures that Americans can freely purchase and use vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other dietary supplements without needing a prescription. It was created to prevent government overreach and protect the public’s right to make informed decisions about their health, while still holding products to basic safety and labeling standards.
DSHEA established the legal definition of a dietary supplement and outlined how it differs from food and pharmaceutical drugs. This clarity protects the marketplace, prevents misclassification, and ensures that both consumers and manufacturers understand the legal boundaries for labeling, marketing, and safety.
By drawing a clear line between supplements and drugs, DSHEA safeguards investment in clinical research and pharmaceutical development. Ingredients under active drug investigation cannot be sold as supplements, preserving incentives for companies to develop new treatments and protecting the integrity of scientific innovation.
DSHEA grants the FDA the authority to remove unsafe or misbranded supplements from the market. It also requires manufacturers to follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), properly label ingredients, and report serious adverse events, helping ensure product quality and consumer protection.
DSHEA helps create a transparent marketplace by requiring clear labeling, full ingredient disclosure, and truthful health claims. This promotes trust between consumers, regulators, and manufacturers, and ensures that individuals can make well-informed decisions about the supplements they choose to use.
We safeguard the integrity of DSHEA by defending its legal framework, preserving consumer access to trusted supplements, and protecting the boundary between dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals.
We inform lawmakers, regulators, the media, and the public about DSHEA’s purpose, its role in public health, and the risks of undermining its enforcement.
We work with policymakers and regulatory agencies to ensure DSHEA is lawfully upheld, FDA authority is respected, and science-based policy remains the foundation of supplement regulation.
On July 21, 2025, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation hosted a timely and important conversation on the future of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)—a landmark law that continues to shape the supplement industry and protect consumer access to health and wellness products. The panel—featuring Kyle Sampson (King...
By Matt SandgrenMatt is the executive director of the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation. A 15-year veteran of Capitol Hill, he served as senior counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee and as Senator Hatch’s chief of staff. If, like millions of other Americans, you take a multivitamin, herbal supplement or omega-3 fatty acid...
The Wall Street Journal reported on the booming longevity industry and the regulatory challenges faced by companies marketing NMN supplements. The article highlights the dispute between supplement companies and pharmaceutical firms over NMN’s classification and the FDA’s stance on its legality as a dietary supplement.
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