Table 3.
Expert responses on claims, labelling, advertisements, availability, adverse events, and monitoring and enforcement of weight-loss supplements (WLS) across thirty countries (n 30)
| Questions† | n of yes responses (excluding ‘Don’t Know’) | % | Number of ‘Don’t know’ responses | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How claims related to WLS are regulated* (n 27) | – | 3 | 10·0 | |
| Certain claims are prohibited | 20 | 74·1 | – | |
| Pre-approval of claims is required | 9 | 33·3 | – | |
| Claims are required to have a scientific basis | 14 | 51·9 | – | |
| Claims are not regulated | 5 | 18·5 | – | |
| Country has specific labelling requirements for WLS (e.g. warnings, disclaimers, instructions for consumption, etc.) (n 28) | 17 | 60·7 | 2 | 6·7 |
| Country has regulatory limitations on advertising WLS (n 25) | 14 | 56·0 | 5 | 16·6 |
| Specific limitations on advertising WLS to children (n 12)‡ | 6 | 50·0 | 9 | 30·0 |
| Require disclaimers or warnings to be included in WLS advertisements (n 22) | 11 | 50·0 | 8 | 26·7 |
| Have limitations on where WLS can be sold (n 27) | 2 | 7·4 | 3 | 10·0 |
| Require certain WLS to be sold only with a prescription (n 27) | 7 | 25·9 | 3 | 10·0 |
| Have a minimum legal age to buy WLS (n 24) | 1 | 4·2 | 6 | 20·0 |
| Have specific laws and regulations regarding the online sale and purchase of WLS (n 25) | 6 | 24·0 | 5 | 16·7 |
| Require the manufacturer, importer or another agent (e.g. pharmacy) to report adverse events related to the WLS experienced by consumers (n 27) | 15 | 55·6 | 3 | 10·0 |
| Have an official process for reporting adverse events experienced after consuming a WLS (n 27) | 22 | 81·5 | 3 | 10·0 |
| Make reports on adverse events related to WLS available to the public (n 27) | 11 | 44·0 | 3 | 10·0 |
| Take steps to determine whether a recall is warranted when adverse event related to WLS is reported (n 29) | 22 | 75·9 | 1 | 3·3 |
| Uses penalties or other sanctions for non-compliance with:* (n 19) | 11 | 36·7 | ||
| Pre-market regulation | 12 | 63·2 | – | |
| Claims | 15 | 78·9 | – | |
| Labelling | 16 | 84·2 | – | |
| Advertisements | 12 | 63·2 | – | |
| Availability | 4 | 21·1 | – | |
| Adverse event reporting | 10 | 52·6 | – | |
| No sanctions | 1 | 5·3 | – |
*
Question allowed respondents to ‘check all that apply’; responses are not mutually exclusive.
†
Sample size varies depending on number of ‘don’t know’ responses. Sample sizes listed per question have excluded the number of ‘don’t know’ responses for that question.
‡
Question administered only to twelve respondents who answered ‘Yes’ to ‘Country has regulatory limitations on advertising WLS’.