For many people, the new year means a new focus on health and wellness. They tell themselves eating healthier will be easy and they can get their diet back on track. Within a few weeks, they realize how hard it is. While some give up altogether and go back to eating a burger and fries for lunch, many others instead turn to supplements for help achieving their health goals. If your company is making these dietary supplements, that means you want to be the bottle they are reaching for on the health food store shelf. This won't happen, though, if you don't yet have FDA approval. If you don't know the first thing about doing this, you're not alone. That is why so many companies opt to bring in a FDA attorney for this stage in the product release.
“Wait!” You may be saying, “We need FDA approval?” Yes! Many companies make the mistaken assumption that the FDA doesn’t regulate dietary supplement packaging and marketing. Take note that the FDA does, in fact, regulate functional foods, fortified food and drinks, dietary supplements, and natural remedy products sold in the United States. If you've been rushing to market with the assumption you don't need to run anything by the FDA, now is the time to correct that. A FDA attorney can be brought in now to help better guide the process.
You want to be sure your dietary supplement company meets the FDA regulations so you can continue growing your business and make profits off the supplement you've worked so hard to create. One of the main things to focus on is the label. Your supplement labels need to include details such as statement of identity, net quantity of content, and ingredient information, presented in a specific format. You will need to have the right information, like health, structure/function, and nutrient content claims, written in the correct format. Consumers and large retailers want to know if your ingredients are recognized as dietary ingredients or require a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) notification. You'll also need a professional to perform an advertising review. What you can and cannot say on websites, social media, point-of-purchase material, third-party testimonials, and other marketing mediums is regulated by the FDA and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). A lawyer working on your team at this stage ensures your content is compliant while showcasing your unique supplement product.
Don't move forward without the right help. Did you know that the FDA has recently started to increase its enforcement efforts against companies that violate the regulations? That can result in Warning Letters, recalls, and more. Your team has worked hard to create this supplement. There's an entire portion of the population looking for your product to help them achieve their New Year's Resolution. All that is left to do now is connect your supplement with those potential customers. FDA attorneys make this connection possible, legal, and likely.
