Protecting Consumers in the Wake of the U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 has given allied health professionals the responsibility of assisting consumers with the use of dietary supplements. Problematic dietary supplements have been marketed and consumed, often for many years, before interventions by the Food and Drug Administration, and the clinical evaluation of these products takes pharmacologic and toxicologic skills that may be beyond the basic competency skills of some allied health professionals. Allied health professionals are in a position to make a stand regarding dietary supplements and their clinical application, but to do so they may need to complement their pharmacologic and toxicologic skills accordingly.