On Feb. 4, U.S. Representative Nick Langworthy (R-NY) introduced the Dietary Supplement Regulatory Uniformity Act, legislation aimed at protecting consumer health while restoring common sense to dietary supplement regulation by reaffirming a single, science-based national standard overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to Langworthy, dietary supplements including vitamins, protein powders, creatine and other nutrition products, have risen in popularity and are widely used by Americans who rely on clear, accurate information and consistent safety standards.
However, in recent years, states—led by New York—have moved to impose their own supplement regulations beyond FDA oversight. These state-level mandates have led to a “confusing patchwork of rules that do nothing but significantly increase costs for small businesses and limit consumer access to lawful products.
“This is regulation for regulation’s sake,” Langworthy said. “New York is notorious for baseless overregulation that burdens small businesses without making anyone safer or improving public health. When states ignore science and override FDA determinations, consumers are misled and local businesses pay the price.”
The proposed Dietary Supplement Regulatory Uniformity Act clarifies that FDA sets the national rules for dietary supplements, ensuring consumer health decisions are guided by science, not political headlines or fearmongering. The bill would prevent states from “layering on conflicting requirements while preserving a process for states to petition FDA if a legitimate, evidence-based local concern exists.”
“At its core, this bill is about protecting consumer health and common sense,” Langworthy said. “If a product is safe under federal law, it shouldn’t be treated as dangerous in New York and lawful just across the border. We can safeguard public health without crushing small businesses and that’s exactly what this legislation does.”
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Natural Products Association (NPA) and the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) applauded the bill.
“This legislation secures a single, science-based national standard for dietary supplements, providing the clarity, consistency, and consumer confidence Americans deserve,” said CHPA President and CEO Scott Melville. “For more than 30 years, the nation has relied on a federal framework to regulate dietary supplements, and we thank Congressman Langworthy for his leadership in reinforcing that foundation as policymakers and industry pursue thoughtful modernization. At a time when a patchwork of state-level regulations threatens to create confusion, raise costs, and limit consumer access to safe, beneficial products, this bill maintains a unified national approach while preserving limited flexibility for states when truly necessary.”
“Americans benefit when dietary supplements are regulated under one clear, national standard grounded in science,” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN. “This legislation protects consumers from confusing and alarmist state-level restrictions and requirements while ensuring responsible companies can continue to innovate and provide safe, high-quality products nationwide. Strong federal oversight and uniform enforcement are essential to maintaining consumer confidence and ensuring a level playing field for responsible businesses. CRN commends lawmakers for taking action to keep dietary supplement policy grounded in science—not sensationalism.”
NPA President and CEO Daniel Fabricant, PhD said, “The introduction of Congressman Langworthy’s bill is a decisive and long-overdue answer to state overreach, which has become a defining threat to consumers and the future of the dietary supplement industry. Restoring federal primacy is the only way to ensure a stable, science-based regulatory environment that protects innovation, preserves consumer access, and prevents a costly, unworkable patchwork of state laws. American consumers of dietary supplements deserve clear and consistent national standards that are administered and enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We urge industry leaders, retailers, and stakeholders across the supply chain to join us in supporting this essential legislation. We look forward to working with Congressman Langworthy to advance this bill in the 119th Congress.”
Graham Rigby, president and CEO of AHPA said, “AHPA strongly supports legislation to establish federal preemption, a move essential to protecting the free interstate commerce that defines our nation. An inconsistent patchwork of state regulations would create a highly restrictive environment that would stifle innovation, increase business compliance costs and complexity, and ultimately restrict consumer access. AHPA applauds Congressman Langworthy for introducing the Dietary Supplement Regulatory Uniformity Act, which would appropriately defer to the country’s robust national regulatory framework and help ensure that the millions of dietary supplements sold daily in the U.S. marketplace can reach Americans without needlessly burdensome state-level barriers.”
For more information, visit www.chpa.org, www.crnusa.org, www.npanational.org, or www.ahpa.org.
