The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Indianapolis, supports proposed safety legislation in the dietary supplement industry.

The professional society, with more than 35,000 members and certified individuals, is a partner of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the entity leading the charge for "Supplement Safety Now." Sen John McCain (R-Ariz) proposed new legislation on supplements.

According to USADA, "dangerous drugs, such as designer steroids, are intentionally being sold as dietary supplements, and current law allows these products to get easily to market."

McCain’s legislation, the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010, is applauded by USADA, which says the bill strikes a fair balance between tighter regulations and reasonable policies. More information on the initiative can be found at http://www.SupplementSafetyNow.com.

Numerous other sports and health organizations support Supplement Safety Now and the proposed legislation, including all four major professional sports bodies (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the PGA Tour, and more.

ACSM has long supported anti-doping policies. In 2007, the organization founded Professionals Against Doping in Sports, uniting health care organizations and individuals in support of clean competition. To date, PADS counts more than 40 worldwide organizations in its ranks, including USADA and numerous USA sport governing bodies.

[Source: American College of Sports Medicine]