Dear Mr. Torres:

    Thank you for contacting me in opposition to S. 1310, the Dietary
Supplement Labeling Act of 2011. Like you, I believe that consumers
should have access to safe and effective dietary supplements.

    As you know, the Dietary Supplement Labeling Act would amend the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to more effectively regulate
dietary supplements that may pose safety risks unknown to consumers.
This bill would require dietary supplement manufacturers to register
products with the Food and Drug Administration and require product
labels to include warnings associated with adverse events of specific
ingredients, weight of those ingredients per serving, and a batch
number for easier recall. Finally, this legislation would also direct
the FDA to establish a definition of “conventional food” to clarify the
distinction between food and beverage products with additives and
dietary supplements.

    I believe that the FDA has a legitimate role to play in acting as
an honest broker of consumer information; consumers have a right to all
available, truthful information regarding products available in the
marketplace. The legislation would not discourage the use or sale of
supplements; it would merely help to ensure that fully-informed
consumers are purchasing safe products and give the FDA the ability to
remove any harmful dietary supplements from the market. It is important
all Americans have access to safe dietary supplements, as is the case
with any other processed food products they consume.

    Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced this legislation on June 30,
2011. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions where it awaits further consideration.
While I am not a member of this committee, please be assured I will
monitor this bill closely as it moves through the Senate.

    Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me on this
important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if
I can ever be of assistance to you on this or any other matter.


Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator