• Home
• About IADSA
• International Regulatory Activity
• IADSA Publications
• News Centre
• Events
• Contact

• Member Associations
• Links
• Frequently Asked Questions

Building up associations

IADSA has been involved in establishing more than 15 of its associations over the past decade. We work with companies and authorities to build national associations in countries where one does not exist.

Since its creation in 1998, the main focus of the work of IADSA has been the science that underpins regulation in the area of food supplements.

This work has been coordinated by a Scientific Group that has directed its activities towards issues that are of primary concern to legislation, including the safety of vitamins, minerals and other ingredients used in food supplements, the substantiation of health claims, the place of supplementation in national health policies and strategies, and the role of supplementation for specific population groups.

The Scientific Group focuses on upcoming scientific debates and has provided guidance to national, regional and international regulatory authorities where requested. IADSA supports the opinion that science should underpin regulation, and since its formation has worked to facilitate independent scientific debate between international scientists, academics and, where appropriate, regulators on issues relating to nutrition and supplementation and to offer solutions/recommendations to problems arising from such issues.

IADSA's scientific programme includes:

• Scientific publications and papers
  

IADSA publications have two primary themes: the benefits/role of food supplements, and the safety of food supplements. IADSA has published 6 scientific documents, covering the safety of vitamin and mineral supplements; the role of micronutrient in nutrition; the scientific substantiation of health claims; the risk assessment and safety of bioactive substances in food supplements;  nutrition, health ageing and public policy, and the updated risk assessment of vitamin D. To download IADSA's publications click here.

• The organisation of an annual scientific forum to discuss issues with leading scientists

The Scientific Forum focuses on the most challenging issues in the scientific-regulatory interface regarding nutrition and supplementation. It works towards offering solutions or recommendations to problems arising from such issues. It meets once a year to address new issues in which to focus the discussion.

The first IADSA Scientific Forum convened in April 2008 in Verona, Italy and its second Scientific Forum was held in 2009 in Moscow, Russia. This year the IADSA Scientific Forum will take place at the last week of June in Beijing, China.