Tunisian Pharmacists' Syndicate Calls for Revision of Dietary Supplements Law

The Tunisian Pharmacists' Syndicate (STPO) has urged the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) to review the draft law on the dietary supplements industry. The goal is to transform the current text, deemed too commercial, into a law that protects public health under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Health.

Speaking on a radio broadcast, STPO Secretary-General Mohamed Salah Kedachi clarified that a union delegation presented its vision during a parliamentary hearing before the health committee. The syndicate demands that the text be renamed "Law on the Organization of the Manufacturing and Distribution of Dietary Supplements" to ensure state intervention at every stage of production.

Distinguishing Nutritional from Therapeutic Supplements

Kedachi emphasized the need to classify these products based on their physiological impact, clearly distinguishing between nutritional supplements and those with therapeutic claims. For the latter, the syndicate insists that they be sold exclusively through regulated distribution channels, under the supervision of pharmacists, to enable rigorous monitoring in case of adverse effects (pharmacovigilance).

A Deadly Threat from the Informal Market

The spokesperson sounded the alarm about the current chaos, marked by artisanal manufacturing and online sales of substances of unknown origin. He revealed that severe cases, including fatalities, have been reported due to the consumption of weight loss or diet products containing undeclared substances, such as corticosteroids.

Towards a "One Health" Approach

Finally, the syndicate proposes extending the provisions of this law to dietary supplements for animals. This proposal aligns with the global "One Health" approach, where the composition of products consumed by livestock has a direct and immediate impact on human health.