The development of the US and Australian dietary supplement regulations: What are the implications for product quality?

The widespread utilisation of vitamin, mineral, herbal and other natural products by the community attests to the importance individuals place on taking an active role in decisions about their health and the types of medicines they take. Since the emergence of these products in the 1950s, the public have strenuously campaigned against efforts by the authorities to restrict consumer access to these products. In the US and Australia, these public protests had a major impact on the development of the legislative framework that currently governs the regulation of these items in these countries. This article examines the role the public played in establishing these regulations and evaluates the quality of the products that have emerged under the direction of the US and Australian regulations.