Industry mourns the passing of Senator Orrin Hatch

Photo courtesy of Office of Senator Orrin Hatch

Senator Orrin Hatch passed away on Saturday, April 23. The Republican Senator, who represented the state of Utah for 42 years, was considered a champion of the industry, best known for his role in introducing The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). This landmark piece of legislation laid the foundation for the dietary supplement industry as we know it today. The industry mourns his passing and celebrates his accomplishments.

“Senator Hatch was a tremendous statesman and champion for the dietary supplement industry. Our members and dietary supplement consumers owe him immeasurable gratitude for his unwavering support for this industry and his tenacious defense of the ability of consumers to make their own decisions about their health regimens and to have access to these products,” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN; Washington, D.C.), in a prepared statement. “It is no overstatement to say that the industry as it exists today was brought into being by Senator Hatch and his Democratic counterpart, Senator Tom Harkin. The two founding fathers of this industry co-sponsored and championed the Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act of 1994, recognized as the foundational law for today’s supplement industry.”

“We lost a friend and a giant of the natural products industry,” stated Daniel Fabricant, PhD, president and CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA; Washington, D.C.). “His service to the United States of America and Utah is second to none. Senator Hatch was an incredibly compassionate man who was an exemplary model for working across the aisle. No other individual has left a greater impact on the dietary supplement industry. From his authoring of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act to his active engagement and open-door policy with industry stakeholders, he was a titan for all-natural products industry stakeholders big or small.”

In addition to DSHEA, Hatch’s other legislative accomplishments include the 1984 Hatch-Waxman Act, which created the pathway for generic drug applications with incentives for pioneer drug applications in place today, as well as public health measures such as the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the American with Disabilities Act. “These measures, and others, have improved safety, quality, and access to healthcare for American consumers by strengthening FDA oversight, creating standards for adverse event reporting, labeling, product uniformity, good manufacturing practices, and much more,” said Scott Melville, president and CEO of the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA; Washington, D.C.), in a statement. “To recognize his many accomplishments and commitment to consumer healthcare, CHPA awarded Senator Hatch its Ivan D. Combe Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.”

Nutritional Outlook also recognized Senator Hatch as Industry Leader in 2018 for our Best of the Industry Awards. Senator Hatch retired his congressional seat that year, leaving behind a legacy which the industry will continue to reflect upon and appreciate for years to come.