The FDA is working toward better regulation of cannabis-based products, consulting services firm Kline said after a public hearing with the U.S. regulatory body.
The FDA held a public hearing on May 31 called Scientific Data and Information about Products Containing Cannabis or Cannabis-Derived Compounds. Kline said it had three main takeaways from the hearing.
The first is that the FDA is empowered to enforce and ensure that CBD manufacturers are compliant with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP). Secondly, the FDA should ensure safe concentrations and daily intake levels of CBD and specifically THC. Lastly, the FDA guidelines in place should be used for packaging and labeling (for food, dietary supplements, and cosmetics).
“In the CBD market right now, 'caveat emptor' is very real. Oversight on consumer-use CBD products is required because there are many producers operating with various levels of standards,” said Laura Mahecha, Kline's healthcare industry manager. “Labeling, dosing, and contents of products need to have some minimum requirements quickly in order to protect American consumers.”
Others had opinions on the hearing. David Spangler, senior vice president of the Consumer Healthcare Product Association (CHPA) wants medicines containing CBD to follow FDA regulations. Noramco, one of the manufacturers at the meeting, said cannabidiol products should be pharma and dietary supplement grade so that testing can be done for identity, purity, quality, and strength.
