Another disconnect between the regulators and most nutra players is the need for rigorous scientific validation and transparency in product claims. Most clinicians too emphasise that all nutra products need to come with more data, backed by sufficiently large clinical trials to validate claims. In other words, they want evidence-based nutraceuticals, with the same rigour that pharma products are mandated to follow
The Health Foods and Dietary Supplements Association (HADSA)’s recent Annual conference was an occasion for the nutra industry to flaunt their achievements, but also press for a range of policy changes.
On their part, representatives like Guest of Honour Pritee Chaudhary, Regional Director (West), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), reassured stakeholders that the FSSAI prioritises governance over bureaucracy and aims to balance business needs with consumer protection. Urging companies to ensure scientific validation and transparency in product claims, she underscored the importance of collaboration between industry and regulators to create a compliance-driven ecosystem.
One of my takeaways from the HADSA annual meet was that industry and policy makers seem to be at cross purposes on many issues, and will need to work hard to find common ground. For instance, Chaudhary emphasised the need for affordability and accessibility, stating that nutraceuticals must be competitively priced, ideally lower than pharmaceutical products, to drive wider adoption. The nutra sector is not currently under price control, and therefore, ROIs are better than pharma products. Most nutra players are aiming for the premium end of the market to protect their profit margins.
Another disconnect between the regulators and most nutra players is the need for rigorous scientific validation and transparency in product claims, another ask from Chaudhary. The nutra sector generally follows the direct-to-consumer route, which means that consumers are faced with a plethora of choices and would not need to consult a doctor when making their purchases, be it online or offline. While regulators have cracked down when product claims are blatantly misleading, there are many instances that manage to slip below the radar.
Clinicians warn that overuse and misuse of nutraceuticals is a serious concern. In fact, the cover story of the second edition of the bi-monthly Express Nutra (dated April-May 2025) features perspectives from the clinical fraternity. Most clinicians agree that the use of nutraceuticals is growing, and concepts like precision nutrition could potentially be game changers. But they emphasise that all nutra products need to come with more data, backed by sufficiently large clinical trials to validate claims. In other words, they want evidence-based nutraceuticals, with the same rigour that pharma products are mandated to follow. They also refer to regulatory gaps, clearly uneasy with the lighter regulation of so-called health supplements, etc, being consumed on a daily basis, without clinical guidance.
FSSAI will have to walk the fine line of regulating the growing nutra sector, without stifling genuine innovation. Chaudhary indicated as much when she reassured stakeholders that FSSAI prioritises governance over bureaucracy and aims to balance business needs with consumer protection and underscored the importance of collaboration between industry and regulators to create a compliance-driven ecosystem. For more details, read a comprehensive report, which we filed as media partners to this well-attended conference: https://www.expressnutra.in/news/hadsa-annual-conference-2025-examines-innovation-regulation-and-market-growthin-nutraceuticals/452382
No one is dissing the case for nutraceuticals. On the business side, our April-May 2025 edition features interviews with leaders like Dr Pirthipal Singh, Head – R&D, Tirupati Grou,p who analyses the strategic opportunities shaping the future of the nutra CDMO sector. Vikas Bansi, Business Director – India, OTC, Himalaya Wellness; Sailesh S, Partner, Anthill Ventures; Len Monheit, CEO, Industry Transparency Center, and Nitin Lath, MD, Stifel Investments believe that with the right strategies, India’s nutra sector can achieve the ambitious $100 billion target by 2047. Experts writing in our April-May 2025 edition write about how nutraceuticals and gut microbiota are giving patients with Alzheimer’s Disease new hope. Similarly, experts are urging the need to prioritise nutrition as part of the leprosy elimination programme, drawing parallels between the proven beneficial role of nutrition in reducing the risk of transmission and disabilities linked to tuberculosis (TB).
Catch all this and more on www.expressnutra.in Do email with feedback and suggestions.
