In the United States, different products are regulated by different agencies and laws, and this is particularly true for pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, precious metals, and cannabis products. Each of these products has its own unique characteristics and risks, which require different types of regulations and oversight to protect public health and safety.
Pharmaceuticals are one of the most heavily regulated products in the United States, and they are subject to rigorous clinical trials and safety testing before they can be approved for sale to the public. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the agency responsible for regulating pharmaceuticals, and it is empowered to ensure that drugs are safe, effective, and of high quality.
The FDA also regulates the labeling, advertising, and promotion of drugs, and it has the authority to recall drugs that are found to be unsafe or ineffective.
Nutraceuticals are a type of dietary supplement, and their regulation is less stringent than that of pharmaceuticals. Nutraceuticals are products that are derived from food sources and are believed to have health benefits beyond their basic nutritional value. These products include vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, and other dietary supplements. The FDA regulates these products under the Dietary Supplement
Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA,1994), which requires manufacturers to ensure the safety of their products but does not require them to undergo the same level of clinical trials and safety testing as pharmaceuticals (FDA, 2023). The FDA also has limited authority to regulate the labeling and advertising of nutraceuticals, and it relies on consumer complaints to identify products that are unsafe or misbranded.
Precious metals, such as gold and silver, are not regulated by the FDA or any other federal agency. Instead, these products are regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which oversees the trading of futures contracts for precious metals. The CFTC's main responsibility is to prevent market manipulation and fraud in the trading of precious metals, as well as other trade violations such as unauthorized swapping and position limits (CFTC, 2023). It has the authority to bring enforcement actions against companies and individuals that violate its regulations.
Cannabis products, which include both medical and recreational marijuana as well as hemp-derived products, are subject to a complex patchwork of federal and state regulations. While cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, many states have legalized its use for medical or
recreational purposes. The FDA has approved a few cannabis-derived drugs for medical use, but it does not regulate the use of cannabis products for recreational or medicinal purposes. Instead, these products are regulated by state agencies, which have varying levels of oversight and regulation.
In addition to the differences in the amount of regulation between these products, there are also significant differences in the risks associated with each product. Pharmaceuticals, for example, are highly regulated because they have the potential to cause serious harm if they are not properly tested and monitored. Nutraceuticals, while generally considered safe, can still pose risks if they are mislabeled or contaminated. Precious metals, while not inherently dangerous, can be subject to fraud and manipulation in the marketplace. Cannabis products, while increasingly popular and accepted, are still associated with certain risks, such as impaired driving and the potential for addiction.
The regulation of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, precious metals, and cannabis products in the United States is complex and multifaceted. Each product has its own unique characteristics and risks, which require different types of regulations and oversight to protect public health and safety. While pharmaceuticals are subject to the most rigorous regulation, nutraceuticals, precious metals, and cannabis products are subject to varying levels of oversight and regulation, depending on the product and its associated risks.
Chem ID is making the process of tracking and regulating of chemical data of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals easier so that companies can see the timeline and progress of their product in real-time and pin point when and where any potential contamination or mislabeling errors occurred. For more information about Chem ID, you can get in contact and request a demo by emailing info@chemid.com or by calling (737) 231-0772.
References:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2023). FDA's role in regulating dietary supplements. https://www.fda.gov/food/dietary-sup
Commodity futures trading commission whistleblower program. ABOUT THE CFTC AND ENFORCEMENT | Whistleblower.gov., from https://www.whistleblower.gov/aboutcftc
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Office of dietary supplements - dietary supplement health and education act of 1994. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.from https://ods.od.nih.gov/About/DSHEA_Wording.aspx#sec8