Tag: Health law

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), cyanocobalamin is authorized for use in food and food supplements throughout Europe. However, its use in medicinal injections is much less common compared to hydroxocobalamin, and its regulatory status varies depending on the specific application.

While the supplement industry operates with minimal external oversight, the act of prescribing supplements is a heavily regulated and legally defined practice. The key distinction is that a nutritionist can recommend, but legally cannot prescribe supplements, a power reserved for licensed medical professionals.

In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which fundamentally changed the regulatory landscape for these products. The surprising truth is that dietary supplements were never required to be approved by the FDA for safety and efficacy in the same way as drugs, contrary to a common misconception.