Code of Ethics

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) is a trade association representing the dietary supplement industry. CRN is dedicated to enhancing the health of the U.S. population through responsible nutrition, including the appropriate use of supplements.

CRN and its Members:

• Are dedicated to enhancing the health of the American public through improved nutrition, including the appropriate use of dietary supplements;

• Are committed to reducing health care costs through improved nutrition, health promotion, and disease prevention;

• Recognize their duty to provide the public with safe and beneficial dietary supplements, manufactured to high quality standards, and to ensure that consumers are provided with the accurate information they need to make informed choices.

In recognition of these principles CRN and its members hereby affirm that the commitments listed below will consistently serve as the basis and guide for their actions as responsible members of the dietary supplement industry.

Commitment to Improving the Public Health and Helping Reduce Health Care Costs

• Promote improved nutrition as part of a healthy lifestyle which helps to maintain good health, prevent disease, and reduce health care costs.

• Cooperate with other public and private organizations that share the goal of improving the public health.

• Work to expand public and private support for nutrition research and nutrition education.

Commitment to Observe Applicable Laws and Regulations

• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations affecting the manufacture and promotion of dietary supplements, but seek to change or challenge those laws or regulations that are inconsistent with the best interests of the public.

Commitment to Responsible Self-Regulation

• Strive, through words and actions, to play a leadership role in the industry.

• Initiate timely actions that are likely to improve the regulatory climate, the reputation of the industry, and consumer confidence in the industry and its products.

• Initiate appropriate corrective action in situations that are likely to lead to a decrease in consumer confidence or to overreaching Federal or state regulation.

Commitment to Truthful Advertising

• Avoid making unsubstantiated or false or misleading claims for products.

• Avoid health-related claims that are not supported by responsible medical or scientific opinion or evidence.

• Represent the findings of scientific, consumer, or other studies to the public in an honest and accurate manner.

• Recognize that nutritional products must contain a sufficient amount of the listed nutrient(s) to provide the nutritional benefit(s) claimed.

• Avoid product advertising that conflicts with product labeling.

• Avoid any statements that may lead consumers to forego appropriate medical consultation or treatment.

• Advertise products in a manner that guards against inappropriate use or use by young children without parental supervision.

• Cooperate with responsible public and private organizations to improve the quality of health and nutrition information available to the consumer.

• Encourage customers, including retailers, to be responsible in providing information to consumers.

Commitment to Product Safety

• Recognize a responsibility to assure the safety of the nutrients and other ingredients in products at the levels at which they are marketed.

• Encourage appropriate research to ensure the continued safety of dietary supplement products.

• Recognize a responsibility to cooperate in efforts to educate consumers and health professionals about the appropriate levels for use of particular ingredients, as well as the potential adverse effects if those ingredients are abused.

• Recognize a responsibility to recommend appropriate upper dosage limits or labeling statements to be observed by the industry in cases where there is evidence of a pattern of significant adverse effects from given intake levels of a dietary supplement ingredient.

Commitment to Compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices

• Observe applicable Good Manufacturing Practices, as described in the Code of Federal Regulations.

• Maintain written quality control procedures for product formulation and handling.

• Assure that qualified personnel are assigned the responsibility for compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices.

• Initiate appropriate remedial action, including recalls if necessary, when significant errors in product formulation or labeling are found to have occurred.

Commitment to Fair Business Practices

• Provide consumers with carefully formulated dietary supplements, accurately labeled and truthfully advertised.

• Provide consumers with the information they need to enable them to make better and more informed choices in the marketplace.

• Recognize an obligation to promptly investigate and resolve consumer complaints.

• Do not falsely disparage competitors or competitors’ products.

• Assure that any comparative claims involving a competitor’s product are supported by appropriate documentation.

• Value the cooperation of all segments of the food industry and do not falsely denigrate the quality of the food supply.

• Recognize the importance of appropriate medical treatment and seek to cooperate with health care professionals in improving the health of the American public.

Commitment to the CRN Code of Ethics

CRN members agree to abide by the CRN Code of Ethics.

Originally Adopted May 1985 by members of the Council for Responsible Nutrition; Revised June 2004.