In this study, although we wanted to review the regulatory frame for a combinational health functional food, there was no specific regulatory framework except for new combinational drug all over the world. We reviewed regulatory framework of USA, Cana...
In this study, although we wanted to review the regulatory frame for a combinational health functional food, there was no specific regulatory framework except for new combinational drug all over the world. We reviewed regulatory framework of USA, Canada, Austrailia, China, Japan, and Drugs in Korea in the perspectives of regulatory frame for final products. As a next step, in order to find out the combinational health functional food, we analyzed the database for items reported to KFDA during 2010. There were 183 health functional food products among total 7319 products. Among 183 products, there were 177 products having over two kinds of functional ingredient and 6 products were over 3 ingredients. We excluded nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber in the functional ingredient. The most commonly used functional ingredients in the combinational product was Garcinia cambogia extracts which were used in 41 products, and then Octacosanol and Saw Palmetto extract. When we searched the safety information for the pair of ingredients used in combinational products using several database, there were no reports for safety concern. However, when we looked over the safety information of each ingredients like Natural Health Products, there were several informations regarding to the interactions with drug, contradiction and cautions. Therefore, in this study we collected the safety informations about the highly used in the combinational products and about the interactions between food components and drugs. In order to derive the considerations in terms of efficacy, we analyzed the documents for combinational products submitted to approve the advertisement and labeling for health functional food. Misleading advertisements were considered when we reviewed the documents. Therefore, the more detailed review and monitoring for advertisement might be needed. Based on these results, we suggested supplement policies in the health functional food regulation. First is the open the safety information as a monograph for each functional ingredient through homepage. When KFDA reviews the functional ingredients, they collected all the data for the safety information in order to evaluate safety. Therefore, in this point, we suggested the open for the safety informations like Health Canada. As a second complemental policy, we suggested to enforce the reporting system of adverse event in order to strength safety management of health functional food. With these complement, the safety management of health functional food might be achieved including a combinational products.