Label Panel Wants You

Exactly what the labels on vitamins, minerals, herbal products and other dietary supplements should include has been debated for years.

Now, the public is invited to comment on new recommendations made recently by the Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels. Among the suggestions in the 105-page draft report, the commission advised that:

* Labels should not refer to specific diseases or disorders.

* The process of approval of health claims should be the same for dietary supplements and conventional foods.

* Manufacturers must take responsibility for supplements safety.

* The Food and Drug Administration should use its authority to take enforcement action and address safety issues posed by products containing the stimulant ephedra.

To obtain a copy of the report, call (301) 650-0382 or write to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Room 738G, 200 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, DC 20201. Deadline for comments is July 25. Comments should be sent to Kenneth D. Fisher, the commission’s executive director, at the above address. The final report is scheduled for completion in September.