FDA Launches New Dietary Supplement Education Initiative
Constituent Update
June 2, 2022
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is launching a new education initiative titled Supplement Your Knowledge, to broaden public understanding of dietary supplements.
Using fact sheets, videos, and curriculum, the initiative is designed to:
- Help consumers learn more about dietary supplements, including how they are regulated and their potential benefits and risks.
- Help educators equip high school students with the knowledge to evaluate the accuracy and credibility of information they see and hear about dietary supplements. Teens are particularly vulnerable targets for misunderstanding what dietary supplements are and the potential benefits and adverse effects they can have on their bodies.
- Help physicians and other healthcare professionals expand their knowledge about dietary supplements through a continuing medical education (CME) program developed in collaboration with the American Medical Association. The CME program was developed to help physicians understand how dietary supplements are regulated, provide information to patients on their use, and recognize and report adverse events to the FDA.
The use of dietary supplements, such as vitamins, minerals, and herbs, has become a routine part of many U.S. consumers’ lives. The FDA wants consumers to have access to safe, well-manufactured, and appropriately labeled products, as well as the knowledge to make informed decisions about taking dietary supplements.