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During Q3 2024, CRN continued its proactive work on multiple fronts, driving supplement industry initiatives, fighting back against age restriction proposals in the states, advocating for science-based policymaking in the U.S. and internationally at Codex, while supporting consumer access and responsible industry growth.
Below is a summary of the team's achievements aligned with CRN’s strategic goals.This page includes links to the content referenced in our Q3 2024 Industry Impact printable one-page summary.
Following is a brief recap of CRN’s impactful work for its members during Q3 in each of the areas of our strategic plan:
Expanding Self-Regulatory Initiatives
- CRN launched a self-regulation awareness campaign, "Responsible. It's Our Middle Name,"emphasizing the importance of internal compliance programs and encouraging member participation in strengthening the dietary supplement industry's credibility. The campaign celebrates the range of self-regulatory opportunities CRN provides its members, invites the rest of the industry to follow our lead, and reminds members to consult these programs to assure their ongoing compliance. Strong self-regulation demonstrates the industry’s commitment to our consumers and strengthens the industry’s credibility.
- CRN's board of directors adopted the "Considerations for Manufacturers of Gummy Dietary Supplements" proposed by the Gummy Form Task Force, with edits. The board also directed the "Considerations" document to be available to members only as opposed to being open to the public “Considerations” documents do not provide recommendations often provided by CRN voluntary guidelines and best practices, but instead serve as resources to inform firms’ practices as applicable. As such, adherence to these considerations is not mandatory and there is not an implementation timeline.
Influencing Public Policy
- CRN filed an appellate brief in its ongoing lawsuit against New York’s age-restriction law, defending the industry’s right to make truthful product claims under First Amendment protections.
- CRN continued opposition to age restriction proposals in states including California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Bills in California and Massachusetts were defeated when their legislatures failed to move the legislation by the deadlines.
- CRN provided feedback on the Dietary Supplement Listing Act, addressing mandatory product listing, voicing concerns over potential burdens on innovation while highlighting areas of agreement for future regulatory frameworks.
- CRN-International held its annual symposium just prior to the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU), convening stakeholders for discussions around the theme, Food Is Medicine: The Role of Nutrition In Extending Healthspan.
- CRN supported the Brazilian Authority's ruling affirming the safety of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in food and supplements, highlighting global regulatory harmonization.
- CRN helped defeat a proposal at the CCNFSDU that would have started work for the global organization to define probiotics. The proposal could have led to systematic review of claims associated with probiotics and restrictions on whether products could even be called a “probiotic.”
Improving Consumer Access
- The CRN Foundation continued its work developing a partnership with the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, with CRN board chair Tara Martin later visiting a local clinic in Salt Lake City and working with Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives Ariana Gordillo De Vivero to engage CRN members in attendance at CONVERGENCE '24 in early Q4.
- CRN continued to advocate for the classification of dietary supplements as "qualified medical expenses," which would allow consumers to make pre-tax purchases of these products using their Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSAs). CRN President & CEO Steve Mister presented on "Increasing Access: Tax Treatment of Dietary Supplements," at SENPA's SOHO EXPO, discussing the association's ongoing efforts.
- CRN and members engaged with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report on Advancing Nutrition Science in the U.S.
Cultivating Positive Public Perceptions
- CRN responded to a JAMA Botanical Use Survey, pointing to widespread use of herbal supplements confirming safety, despite alarmist headlines, issuing a member alert and providing the industry with facts to counter misinterpretations.
- CRN celebrated in leadership within its member community through the Trailblazing Women Award, presented with Radicle Science, spotlighting finalists via social media and newsletter coverage prior to the announcement of the winner at its CONVERGENCE.
- As part of the CRN and ASNF’s Program for Scholars (CAPS) two students were awarded support to attend Science in Session.
Expanding Membership and Educational Offerings
- CRN hosted a Retailer Relations Forum breakfast briefing at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Total Store Expo in August. Participants heard from Walgreens' Leigha Dunbar, Health Mart'sCrystal Lennartz and Nancy Lyons; as well as The Emerson Group's Lauren Alexander and Natalie Ryan.
- CRN presented a webinar, Dietary Supplement Clinical Research — Current Topics, with presenters from Radicle Science, SGS Nutrasource, Amarex Clinical Research, an NSF International Company, and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
- CRN hosted a webinar, Harmonized Standards for Enhanced Consumer Trust—Understanding GRMA’s Leading Quality and Product Integrity Programs, providing a platform for members to learn details of the alliance’s standards for dietary supplements and how they can be utilized by manufacturers and laboratories to advance their credentials.
- CRN Legal Committee guest presentations explained FTC's Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials and hemp law developments in CA and NJ.
- CRN kept members updated on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) deadlines in states including California, Colorado, Oregon.
- CRN welcomed new voting members Anderson Advanced Ingredients, Indus Biotech Limited, Nisarga Biotech Pvt. Ltd., and Nuseed Nutritional and associate members IngredientAI and iniTech.
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
2024 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements data now available
CRN fielded its annual Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements with Ipsos in August, with thousands of datapoints now available for purchase as part of the survey package. The CRN survey is value-priced for 2024 at just $2,500. Learn more and purchase here.
CRN Members highlighted via 'Profiles in Leadership' and 'Experts Explain'
Executives from Specnova, BIO-CAT, Vitaquest, and Hilma were featured during Q3 in CRN's Profiles in Leadership series. CRN's Experts Explain series featured member Q&As on enhancing prenatal nutrition awareness through research and collaboration with Balchem, navigating packaging innovation with Klöckner Pentaplast, and balancing innovation and compliance in dietary supplement advertising, with Amin Wasserman Gurnani.
CRN hosts CONVERGENCE '24 with Science in Session, WellComms and the inaugural Innovation Exchange
CRN presented its annual events at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City at the beginning of Q4, October 9–11. See preliminary reporting from the events here, with more to come in our Q4 report after the end of 2024.
