06.09.15
The American Botanical Council’s current issue (#106) of HerbalGram, the nonprofit organization’s quarterly, peer-reviewed journal, includes a 12-page feature article on “The Supplement Saga: A Review of the New York Attorney General’s Herbal Supplement Investigation.”
The New York Attorney General’s (NY AG’s) crusade against herbal supplements, which began unexpectedly on Feb. 3, has been a source of much interest, confusion, and concern for the dietary supplements industry and herbal community. The article, by HerbalGram Editor Tyler Smith, details the NY AG’s actions and herbal community’s reactions from early February to mid-May, when the magazine went to press. The approximately 9,500-word feature contains 71 references and is currently available on ABC’s website.
Over a period of roughly four months, NY AG Eric T. Schneiderman took multiple significant and unprecedented actions against herbal products, companies, and manufacturers. In February, he ordered GNC, Walgreens, Walmart, and Target to stop sales of certain store-brand herbal supplements; in March, Mr. Schneiderman announced a “landmark” deal with GNC, in which the company agreed to employ DNA barcoding analysis of all herbal raw materials used to produce ingredients for its herbal supplements; and, in April, his coalition of state attorneys general asked Congress to launch an inquiry into the supplements industry.
Each of these developments stemmed from the results of the NY AG’s commissioned DNA barcode testing of 78 herbal supplements from the four retailers, which indicated a lack of the labeled herbs’ DNA, or the presence of unlisted ingredients, in about 80% of the products. The NY AG’s reliance on DNA barcoding as the sole testing method has generated widespread criticism from a spectrum of industry experts, botanical scientific experts, and even herb industry critics.
The current issue of HerbalGram also features a summary of two DNA barcoding-related white papers issued by a coalition of industry trade groups and leaders of the Natural Products Association, respectively, by American Botanical Council (ABC) Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, and an editorial on the misuse of DNA methods by the NY AG written by ABC Founder and Executive Director, Mark Blumenthal, available here.
“The HerbalGram article is probably the most extensive publication thus far that summarizes and documents much of the details of this still-fluid issue,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “We believe it is necessary to provide detailed documentation of this event not only for the historical record but also to provide interested stakeholders in the herbal community and many others with a comprehensively detailed, ‘go-to’ article that provides a responsible overview of the recent events and issues.”
Although members of the natural products industry initially focused on the shortcomings of DNA-based analyses for botanical extracts—which still remains a scientifically sound argument—the community’s message evolved to focus on education, transparency, and authenticity as Mr. Schneiderman widened the scope of his investigation—and signs of compromise have emerged from both sides. However, in early June, as HerbalGram #106 reached members’ mailboxes and hit retail shelves, Mr. Schneiderman once again asked Congress to “overhaul” the dietary supplements industry. As potential new developments continue to unfold, ABC encourages interested parties to read the HerbalGram feature to familiarize themselves with the background and scope of the investigation.
A text-only version of the article is available to the public on ABC’s website at http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue106/hg106-FEAT-NYAG.html. ABC members have access to a full-color PDF version at http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/index.html.

HerbalGram is a benefit of ABC membership at all membership levels. More information on ABC membership is available here.
The New York Attorney General’s (NY AG’s) crusade against herbal supplements, which began unexpectedly on Feb. 3, has been a source of much interest, confusion, and concern for the dietary supplements industry and herbal community. The article, by HerbalGram Editor Tyler Smith, details the NY AG’s actions and herbal community’s reactions from early February to mid-May, when the magazine went to press. The approximately 9,500-word feature contains 71 references and is currently available on ABC’s website.
Over a period of roughly four months, NY AG Eric T. Schneiderman took multiple significant and unprecedented actions against herbal products, companies, and manufacturers. In February, he ordered GNC, Walgreens, Walmart, and Target to stop sales of certain store-brand herbal supplements; in March, Mr. Schneiderman announced a “landmark” deal with GNC, in which the company agreed to employ DNA barcoding analysis of all herbal raw materials used to produce ingredients for its herbal supplements; and, in April, his coalition of state attorneys general asked Congress to launch an inquiry into the supplements industry.
Each of these developments stemmed from the results of the NY AG’s commissioned DNA barcode testing of 78 herbal supplements from the four retailers, which indicated a lack of the labeled herbs’ DNA, or the presence of unlisted ingredients, in about 80% of the products. The NY AG’s reliance on DNA barcoding as the sole testing method has generated widespread criticism from a spectrum of industry experts, botanical scientific experts, and even herb industry critics.
The current issue of HerbalGram also features a summary of two DNA barcoding-related white papers issued by a coalition of industry trade groups and leaders of the Natural Products Association, respectively, by American Botanical Council (ABC) Chief Science Officer Stefan Gafner, PhD, and an editorial on the misuse of DNA methods by the NY AG written by ABC Founder and Executive Director, Mark Blumenthal, available here.
“The HerbalGram article is probably the most extensive publication thus far that summarizes and documents much of the details of this still-fluid issue,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “We believe it is necessary to provide detailed documentation of this event not only for the historical record but also to provide interested stakeholders in the herbal community and many others with a comprehensively detailed, ‘go-to’ article that provides a responsible overview of the recent events and issues.”
Although members of the natural products industry initially focused on the shortcomings of DNA-based analyses for botanical extracts—which still remains a scientifically sound argument—the community’s message evolved to focus on education, transparency, and authenticity as Mr. Schneiderman widened the scope of his investigation—and signs of compromise have emerged from both sides. However, in early June, as HerbalGram #106 reached members’ mailboxes and hit retail shelves, Mr. Schneiderman once again asked Congress to “overhaul” the dietary supplements industry. As potential new developments continue to unfold, ABC encourages interested parties to read the HerbalGram feature to familiarize themselves with the background and scope of the investigation.
A text-only version of the article is available to the public on ABC’s website at http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue106/hg106-FEAT-NYAG.html. ABC members have access to a full-color PDF version at http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/index.html.

HerbalGram is a benefit of ABC membership at all membership levels. More information on ABC membership is available here.
