Supplement groups urge NIH to retain ODS independence

WASHINGTON — Four dietary supplement trade associations urge the National Institutes of Health to reconsider a proposed reorganization that would move the Office of Dietary Supplements under the Office of Nutrition Research.

In joint comments submitted to NIH, the American Herbal Products Association, Consumer Healthcare Products Association, Council for Responsible Nutrition and United Natural Products Alliance warned that the change could weaken ODS’s scientific role, add bureaucracy and diminish its ability to fulfill its congressional mandate.

The groups called for ODS to remain a stand-alone office within NIH’s Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, while strengthening collaboration with the Office of Nutrition Research.

Congress established ODS through the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 to advance scientific understanding of dietary supplements and their contributions to health. The office also advises senior federal health officials on supplement issues.

The associations said placing ODS under the nutrition research office could limit attention to scientific questions beyond conventional nutrient functions, including research involving botanicals, probiotics and other bioactive substances. Supplement research also encompasses product quality, safety, efficacy and interactions with medications, they noted.

Adding another organizational layer could complicate ODS’s advisory responsibilities and reduce its direct access to NIH leadership, the groups said. They also raised questions about how the proposed restructuring would affect leadership authority, staffing, funding, research priorities, and coordination across NIH.

The comments linked sustained supplement research to the administration’s Make America Healthy Again priorities, which identify the health benefits of select high-quality supplements as an area for scientific investigation.

If NIH proceeds, the associations urged it to publish a detailed implementation plan for public comment, including safeguards for ODS’s statutory mission, scientific priorities, resources, and advisory responsibilities. They also recommended a formal evaluation of the restructuring’s effects within two years.