Can consumers assume that a USP-verified supplement is safe?
USP’s Verification Program addresses the issue of dietary supplement safety in several ways. The program’s staff, in consultation with USP’s Dietary Supplement Information Expert Committee, evaluate each product’s ingredient content. Those products that contain ingredients that the committee finds to have a safety risk will not be accepted into the Verification Program. The Verification Program, however, does not comprehensively address this broad issue. No single program or organization could be expected to completely address the issue of safety. Determining the safety of dietary supplements is a broad undertaking, and includes assessment of drug interactions, contraindications, and side effects. USP’s Verification Program does ensure that supplements contain the ingredients stated on the label, in the stated amounts, and that they meet acceptable limits for contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, dioxins, furans, PCBs, and microbes.
USP’s Verification Program addresses the issue of dietary supplement safety in several ways. The program’s staff, in consultation with USP’s Dietary Supplement Information Expert Committee, evaluate each product’s ingredient content. Those products that contain ingredients that the committee finds to have a safety risk will not be accepted into the Verification Program. The Verification Program, however, does not comprehensively address this broad issue. No single program or organization could be expected to completely address the issue of safety. Determining the safety of dietary supplements is a broad undertaking, and includes assessment of drug interactions, contraindications, and side effects. USP’s Verification Program does ensure that supplements contain the ingredients stated on the label, in the stated amounts, and that they meet acceptable limits for contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, dioxins, furans, PCBs, and microbes. The program ensures that the products are ma
