New Dietary Supplement Label Database
The National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements and National Library of Medicine (NLM) recently launched a Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD). The DSLD “contains the full label contents from a sample of dietary supplement products” currently marketed or discontinued in the US. Initially developed for scientists, this database covering about 17,000 supplements will also be helpful to public health personnel and health care providers. DSLD data include contents and added ingredients from the supplement’s required “Supplement Facts” panel, and directions for use, health-related claims, and cautions from the supplement’s label. The database provides Reference Links, Quick and Advanced searching, as well as browsable alphabetical lists of ingredients, products, and “contacts” (ie, manufacturer/distributor). DSLD files can be downloaded for use in Excel and several statistical packages (eg, SPSS). For additional information, see the NLM DSLD Fact Sheet or the DSLD FAQ.