History and overview of DSHEA

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), enacted in 1994, had two primary goals: to ensure continued consumer access to a wide variety of dietary supplements, and to provide consumers with more information about the intended use of dietary supplements. It accomplished these goals, and more, without changing the fundamental regulatory status of dietary supplements as a category of foods. This article explores the history and reasoning behind the major provisions of the Act and reflects on the impact of each during 15 years of experience under DSHEA.