How could the lack of supplement certification affect the Pentagon?
The Pentagon may need to expand product safety oversight after vetting gaps were found. A study examining 1,209 dietary supplements sold at Camp Buehring in Kuwait and Fort Drum, N.Y., found that only 10% of the products carried third-party certification recommended by the Pentagon. The study recommends that Operation Supplement Safety, a Pentagon initiative, coordinate with installation retail outlets to reevaluate the vetting process. This would require the Pentagon to implement new operational standards and increase regulatory oversight to ensure service members are consuming safe products.
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How it reaches PENTAGON
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A study published in October by Military Medicine examined 1,209 dietary supplement products sold at Fort Drum, N.Y., and Camp Buehring in Kuwait during six months in 2024. Researchers found that only 10% of these products carried third-party certification approved by the Defense Department’s Operation Supplement Safety. The study is part of an initiative aimed at increasing the percentage of certified supplements available to service members.
The full event1independent outlet -
Researchers examined 1,209 products sold at Camp Buehring in Kuwait and Fort Drum, N.Y., finding that only 10% of the dietary supplements carried third-party certification as recommended by the Pentagon.
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- stripes.com Thursday
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land service branch of the United States Armed Forces
Everything about United States Army -
The study recommends that Operation Supplement Safety, which is part of the Defense Department's efforts, coordinate with installation retail outlets to reevaluate the vetting process for dietary supplements.
1 report connects these two. Brind only summarizes; follow a link to read the reporting itself.
- stripes.com Thursday
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executive department of the United States federal government
Everything about United States Department of Defense -
The Pentagon, through Operation Supplement Safety, is responsible for maintaining the official list of prohibited dietary supplement ingredients and providing education. The study's findings suggest the Pentagon may need to expand its regulatory oversight to mandate that only supplements vetted by approved third-party certifiers are sold on military installations.
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Everything about PENTAGON
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The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- Only 10% of dietary supplements sold at the two Army installations carried third-party certification recommended by the Pentagon.stripes.com
- Researchers examined 1,209 products sold at Fort Drum, N.Y., and at Camp Buehring in Kuwait during six months in 2024.stripes.com
- The Pentagon launched Operation Supplement Safety after 18 products containing DMAA were pulled in 2011.stripes.com
- The study recommends that Operation Supplement Safety coordinate with installation retail outlets.stripes.com
Why it matters
The safety of service members is a core concern for the Department of Defense. The supplements market is largely unregulated, and the failure to ensure product safety could expose service members to dangerous or prohibited ingredients, as seen in the 2011 incident involving DMAA.
This study provides a baseline for a second phase of research, indicating that the current assumption that products sold on military installations are vetted is incorrect. The recommendations put pressure on the Pentagon to move from a reactive safety program to a proactive, mandatory certification standard for all supplements sold on base.
What we don't know yet
- Will the Pentagon mandate that only third-party certified supplements be sold on military installations?
- What specific changes will Operation Supplement Safety make to its vetting process?
What would change this answer
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Beyond this explainer
Questions worth asking
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About Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
How does the FDA's existing regulatory framework for dietary supplements intersect with the Pentagon's internal vetting requirements for base retail outlets?
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About Commissioner Marty Makary
Has Commissioner Marty Makary or other regulatory leaders commented on the challenges of ensuring supplement safety within military installation retail environments?
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Reporting
- stripes.comThursday
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