US FDA could award glucosamine and chondroitin health claims by Sept?

The US Food and Drug Administration will respond by September to two petitions seeking to claim that glucosamine and chondroitin can help reduce the risk of osteoarthritis, said an agency official last month.

At a meeting of the FDA Food Advisory Committee's Dietary Supplements Subcommittee on June 7-8, Laura Tarantino, then acting director of the FDA's Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling and Dietary Supplements, said the agency had agreed to act by September on petitions by Weider Nutrition Group of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Rotta Research Laboratory of Monza, Italy. (Since the meeting, Dr Tarantino has been named director of the Center for Food Safety and Nutrition's Office of Food Additive Safety.)

Weider and Rotta aim to claim that their glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can inhibit joint and cartilage deterioration and, therefore, reduce the risk of osteoarthritis in healthy people, as well as slow progression in those with the disease.