July 25, 2000

A Utah company is once again the center of controversy. It's another battle over dietary suppliments.

A Federal judge in Denver says Provo-based NuSkin is subject to government regulations on a product to reduce cholesterol. News Specialist Richard Piatt tells how it could affect you.

If you use dietary supplements, you will be interested in this case. That's because it taps into a major issue: Should the government regulate supplements?

The F.D.A. argues cholesterol reducing 'Cholestin' has an ingredient that should be regulated. That ingredient, Mavinolin, occurs naturally in China-grown red yeast rice.

But the issue goes beyond Mavinolin, and Cholestin, and into the $30 billion a year dietary supplement industry. That's why NuSkin Enterprises, which makes Cholestin, plans to keep pushing its court fight.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AND IMPORTANT FOR CONSUMERS TO UNDERSTAND TO WHAT LENGTH THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO REGULATE DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND HEALTH FOODS.

Cholestin is the first supplement to undergo the scrutiny of the courts since Congress passed 1994's Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act.

The law allows all kinds of herbs, teas, and supplements to go on sale, even though they're not approved by the F.D.A.

Some, like GHB and Ephedra, have proven to be dangerous when abused, leading some to push for more F.D.A. oversight.

NuSkin argues that if safety were an issue, the F.D.A. could pick one of these drugs for a court battle. Supplements like Cholestin, they argue, have not been found to be dangerous, and in fact NuSkin argues it's beneficial.

People who take supplements don't seem concerned about the safety issue.

I THINK THEY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE. I THINK IT WOULD HURT THEIR AVAILABILITY IF THEY WERE REGULATED.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR REGULATING PEOPLE, TAKING OVER THEIR NATURAL HEALTH AND WELL BEING.

NuSkin-owned Pharmanex continues to sell Cholestin directly to consumers. It will continue to do so even while it continues it's court battle with the F.D.A.

Federal Judge Dale Kimball, based in Salt Lake City, originally ruled with NuSkin on this issue. The court of appeals decision now throws the issue back in his Utah court to consider again.