Computer access to research on dietary supplements: a database of federally funded dietary supplement research

Dietary supplement use is prevalent in the United States, but support for supplement research has been relatively modest and only recently emphasized at the NIH. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 led to the creation of the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the NIH to promote research on dietary supplements. In order to track federally funded dietary supplement research, the ODS developed a database known as Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS). This article provides an overview of the development and potential uses of the CARDS database. In addition, we report that NIH-funded dietary supplement research steadily increased from fiscal year (FY) 1999 through 2002. The majority of NIH institutes or centers (ICs) funded research relevant to dietary supplements during this time, led by the National Cancer Institute and one of the newest NIH ICs, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. CARDS data indicate that NIH-funded dietary supplement research from FY 1999 through 2002 involved primarily vitamins, minerals, botanicals and phytochemicals. Cancer and cardiovascular disease, two of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, collectively accounted for almost 45% of the research related to dietary supplements. A variety of types of research studies were funded, with the majority consisting of human intervention studies. This information is useful to evaluate trends in federally funded dietary supplement research, identify research gaps, and help research scientists identify potential sources of NIH funding.