The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry, is the driving force behind the newly launched industry Supplement OWL (Online Wellness Library). The Supplement OWL is an online resource designed to help industry stakeholders locate information about dietary supplements, as well as accompanying information on their safety and quality. This online database is intended to help increase transparency and accountability in the U.S. dietary supplements marketplace, allowing consumers, retailers and industry professionals to make informed decisions when purchasing dietary supplements.
The Supplement OWL will have 2 tiers of information:
- Tier 1: a free service which will allow participants to view an image of a product label, and information about its ingredients, dosage form and claims.
- Tier 2 (not yet available): will allow companies to upload additional information on their product label (i.e. supporting documents about quality practices and manufacturing contact information). This information will be controlled by the product marketer and will only be visible to the public if written permission is provided. A nominal fee will be associated with registering product labels for Tier 2 listing.
Although primarily intended for use by regulators, anyone with online access can view the over 50 brands already registered with Supplement OWL. Market intelligence and regulatory transparency are two benefits of the program, which also provides a way for product developers to showcase their commitment to quality and consumer satisfaction. So, if you are a consumer, retailer, or industry professional, and are wondering “whooo” is developing new dietary supplements, be wise and check out the CRN Supplement OWL!
