Dietary supplement companies are pushing to expand the types of ingredients they can use in their products. The Food and Drug Administration is holding a meeting Friday to discuss the issue. The changes sought by the industry could open the door to more supplements containing peptides, probiotics and other trendy wellness ingredients. Companies want the FDA to broaden its definition of a dietary ingredient to substances that aren't found in foods. The meeting follows vows from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to "end the war at FDA" on dietary supplements and other popular wellness products.
Wellness influencer and entrepreneur Dr. Casey Means shared a vision for addressing the root causes of chronic disease instead of what she calls "reactive sick care" during her confirmation hearing to become the next surgeon general. Wednesday's hearing in the Senate health committee was rescheduled from October, when Means went into labor the day she was set to appear. Means' message that dietary and lifestyle changes are needed to heal an ill and struggling nation aligns closely with that of her ally Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But she also faced tough questions about topics that have become divisive in recent years, such as vaccines and hormonal birth control, as well as about her qualifications for the job.