Two associations representing dietary supplement makers have hired Maryland's former attorney general to push back against an effort by his former colleagues to hold the industry accountable for allegedly misidentifying the ingredients in their products.

The American Herbal Products Association and United Natural Products Alliance have retained Doug Gansler for six months, the industry publication Natural Products Insider reported. Gansler spent eight years as Maryland's attorney general and served one year as elected president of the National Association of Attorneys General. He is currently a partner in the Washington, D.C., office of the law firm Buckley Sandler.

Gansler's hiring is part of an effort to win over 14 state attorneys general who last year asked Congress to investigate the supplement industry, which is not regulated to the same extent as the pharmaceutical industry. Their request came after an investigation spearheaded by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman found that many herbal supplements sold by major retailers did not contain the ingredients listed on their labels.

Schneiderman's investigation led to several retail chains pulling supplements from their shelves and a lot of bad publicity for the industry. AHPA and UNPA are hoping Gansler can convince some of the industry's most vocal critics.

"It is our expectation that, with Mr. Gansler's assistance, we will be able to create positive, collaborative working relationships with state attorneys general in support of the responsible dietary supplement industry," UNPA President Loren Israelsen told Natural Products Insider. bit.ly/1lKkLym

Both groups will need to contend with a news media that has grown more skeptical about many of supplement industry's claims. PBS Frontline recently aired a documentary contending that not only do most vitamins and dietary supplements not work, but they can be harmful to human health in some cases.

One of the major figures in the documentary was Daniel Fabricant, CEO of the Natural Products Association and former head Food and Drug Administration division that regulated supplements. Fabricant was questioned about the so-called "revolving door" between regulators and groups that lobby on behalf of the industry.

"Folks who understand an industry make for very effective regulators," Fabricant said. "I think it certainly worked to the consumers' benefit, which at the end of the day, I think FDA and the industry are in the same business, is to make sure consumers have access to safe, healthy products." to.pbs.org/1mQr8l2

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