[Dialup Llama]

Vitamin companies need to back up their claims with data. Maybe not the same level of research required with drugs, but the tolerance of hucksterism among the vitamin marketers will result in their severe regulation.

[tdadams]

Hucksterism in the supplement market is handled pretty well by the free market. Supplements that work are praised and receive word of mouth recommendations. Those that don't are revealed to be snake oil and go off the market.

Yes, this process takes a while and some people might spend $20 bucks for nothing, but how long does the FDA approval process take and what are the costs when the FDA is wrong (hint - it's not just monetary)?

[Black Agnes]

The pharma company lobby suppresses a lot of this research. They're also one of the biggies behind getting rid of supplements. You can thank our patent system which allows patents of new things but not of 'natural products'.