The United States healthcare system has been witness to an interesting trend over the last five years €" more and more people have been rejecting pharmaceutical drugs and surgery as the only treatment to health problems. They have been adopting preventive, supplementary, and alternative natural foods and dietary supplements.

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed in 1994 removed dietary supplements from the purview of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA guidelines for regulation of pharmaceuticals are extremely strict. However, dietary supplements cannot be promoted for use as replacements for pharmaceuticals. The U.S. Congress and American consumers had supported the Bill with overwhelming majority.

However, the Act has led to confusion about the way nutraceuticals are packaged and advertised. Subsequently, many professionals and consumers feel that there has been inadequate information available about the quality and proper use of nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.

Healthcare professionals are turning to government-approved continuing medical education (CME) distance learning programs and conferences to gain more information and knowledge about nutraceuticals. These professionals have voiced concern about the relaxed monitoring of such supplements and they feel that there is no quality check as nutraceuticals are based on natural ingredients, which are generally imported. How these ingredients are grown and processed is not known.

Doctors also feel that since there are no mandatory trials or studies conducted on the effect of nutraceuticals, their health-improving benefits are questionable. They believe that there is a possibility of manufacturers overstating the benefits of such products even though initial studies have shown exciting results about the health-boosting effects of nutraceuticals and health supplements.

There are concerns about specific ingredients used in nutraceutical products also. For example, ephedrine is an ingredient used in several products; the FDA has specific limits on the use of ephedrine and these specifications are not listed when the ingredient is used in nutraceuticals.

Consumers, on the other hand, may likely have several reasons for preferring nutraceuticals and dietary supplements over traditional medications. The most important factor being the belief €" as compared to pharmaceutical drugs €" that dietary supplements and nutraceuticals have fewer or no side effects. But, as more doctors turn to prescribing such foods along with drugs, consumers want to know if the doctor has a financial contract with the supplement manufacturer.

Manufacturers also fear misinformation about nutraceuticals might force unnecessary regulations on the industry. The American Nutraceutical Association €" which includes both consumers and healthcare professionals €" is now working closely with the FDA and industry trade organizations to resolve such issues related to nutraceuticals and dietary supplements.