South Carolina Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) Practice Exam

Which of the following is a key provision of the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act?

1. Products must be proven safe before marketing

2. Manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices

3. Claims on labels must not indicate treatment or curing

4. Must have FDA approval before sale

The correct answer is: Claims on labels must not indicate treatment or curing

The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) primarily distinguishes dietary supplements from conventional foods and drug products. One of the key provisions of this act is that claims made on dietary supplement labels are not allowed to state that the products can treat or cure specific diseases. Instead, they can only make general statements regarding health benefits or nutrient contents but must not suggest that they can be used as treatments in the same way that medications can. This provision is crucial because it ensures that the marketing of dietary supplements does not mislead consumers into thinking that these products can replace approved medical therapies. Therefore, while dietary supplements must adhere to standards of safety and manufacturing (which is addressed by other provisions), the prohibition against making specific treatment claims is a core tenet of the DSHEA. The other choices touch on aspects related to safety or manufacturing, but they do not reflect the specific regulatory framework established by DSHEA for the marketing and labeling of dietary supplements. For example, while products manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices ensures quality, it is outside the scope of this act to require prior FDA approval for marketing, which remains a significant differentiation from pharmaceuticals.