The Grocery Manufacturers of America believes the Food and Drug Administration's decision to allow health claims on dietary supplements "moves in the right direction." The regulations may apply to dietary supplements, says GMA, but they also apply to conventional foods.

FDA has published final rules defining the types of statements that may be made on the effect of a dietary supplement on the structure or function of the body. A 1998 FDA proposal would have severely limited manufacturers' ability to make structure-function claims on products, says GMA.

The controversy centered on FDA's proposed expansion of what defines "disease claims" that show a link between a food or substance and a disease or health-related condition. GMA had told FDA that if the agency expanded the definition of disease, few, if any, food companies would be able to make health information available to the public without risking having their products regulated as unapproved drugs by FDA.

"We applaud FDA for moving in the right direction and correcting the problem concerning the scope of the definition of the term `disease,'" said Stacey Zawel, GMA vice president, scientific and regulatory policy. "Many of life's conditions result in problems that can be addressed by dietary supplements and conventional foods. By recognizing this, the FDA is performing a great service for the public."