Good nutrition is the foundation of good health. Yet around the world, FAO and WHO data show that more than two billion people still suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, often quietly and often with serious consequences.
In India, as in many countries, economic growth and urbanisation are transforming lifestyles and expectations around health. As populations live longer and healthcare systems face increasing pressure, attention is turning towards achieving optimal health in addition to avoiding deficiencies.
In this evolving landscape, supplementation is becoming an increasingly valuable tool to help individuals proactively support their wellbeing through vitamins and minerals, botanicals and other ingredients. For millions of consumers around the world, health supplements have become a trusted part of daily routines—a way to take greater ownership of their health and maximise their personal potential.
Increasingly, evidence is also showing that supplementation can contribute not only to individual wellbeing but also to the sustainability of healthcare systems, including by lowering healthcare costs and easing pressure on healthcare services. As governments look for solutions that are both effective and economically sustainable, the contribution of responsible supplementation is gaining greater attention.
Since 1998, IADSA has served as the global platform supporting the evolution of regulation and policy for the health supplement sector. We have been called upon by partners in government in more than 80 countries to share knowledge, research, perspectives and best practices, always grounded in science and the public interest.
To be heard requires trust, and this must always be earned. That is why our work is built on three pillars: scientific rigour, responsible industry standards, and strong partnerships.
We are committed to product quality and responsible practices across our sector. From developing global guidance on good manufacturing practice and product stability, to investing in initiatives that strengthen consumer understanding and safety, our work aims to continuously elevate standards to allow consumers to buy products with confidence.
Our latest global research conducted by IPSOS shows that consumers value and trust health supplements. In Europe the figure is 69 per cent, in the US 74 per cent and in South East Asia consumer trust reaches 92 per cent.
Over the past 20 years, the regulation of supplements has evolved considerably. In 1998, when IADSA was created, the majority of the world did not have specific regulation for supplements. This took time to change.
Some regulations emerge in response to public demand. Others reflect the need to harmonise markets or facilitate trade. And all reflect to some degree national customs, traditions and experience. But at their core, regulations share four key elements:
- They have clear terminology, whether health/dietary/food supplement, to ensure legal clarity and to ensure that consumer perception of the purpose of our products is properly understood. Their purpose is to supplement: they are not medicines to treat or cure.
- They must be safety based, allowing consumers to buy products that work for them as long as they are safe.
- They must provide guidance on communication and claims to ensure transparency and trust and consumers access to information to allow them to make the right choices.
- They must always have a foundation of quality requirements to ensure product integrity.
Today’s global leaders in our sector have not grown overnight, they have grown over many years always with considerable resources allocated to innovation, their people and investment at home and internationally. To invest, companies need a stable regulatory climate. And a stable regulatory framework nationally, regionally and globally also helps protect a level playing field so that those companies who are doing what is right are not damaged by the small minority who are not.
As the global market continues to grow, we will continue our work across the world to help to achieve better and regulation and policy which ultimately results in better lives.
