Is that product on the shelf an over-the-counter drug or a dietary supplement?
The difference is important. Dietary supplements are intended to supplement the diet, not to treat diseases. The labels on dietary supplement products cannot claim that the product can diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease. Claims like these are only permitted for drugs.
Also, standards for marketing supplements are very different from those for drugs. For example, marketers of supplements don’t have to prove to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the product works or is safe before it arrives on store shelves. Companies that market drugs do.
If you’re using or thinking about using a dietary supplement, click on the link below for five helpful tips.