The Natural Products Association (NPA) announced its annual Fly-In Day in Washington, D.C., will be held May 22. The event gathers natural products industry representatives to meet with members of Congress and advocate for issues important to the natural products industry and the millions of U.S. consumers who rely on dietary supplements. 

The day begins with training and education from NPA experts about what it means to advocate and lobby at the Capitol, including information about NPA’s 2024 legislative priorities, followed by pre-set meetings with participants and their members of Congress or staff. 

“Engagement matters; I cannot stress enough how important 2024 is for this industry,” Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., president and CEO of NPA, said in a press release announcing Fly-In Day. “If you want a bright future for the natural products industry, this is a must-attend event. With razor-thin margins in the House and Senate, an important election this November, and monumental issues for the industry such as FDA’s reorganization, it is of the utmost importance that industry stakeholders attend this Fly-In.” 

NPA and its members intend to discuss “FDA overreach on ingredients” like CBD and NMN, the need for clarity regarding so-called drug preclusion, and FDA’s reorganization (proposal for a Unified Human Foods program and new model for the Office of Regulatory Affairs), Fabricant told Natural Products Insider. Other issues to be highlighted during Fly-In Day include “FTC overreach” and expanding consumer access to dietary supplements through FSA (flexible spending account)/HSA (health savings account) legislation, he added. 

2024 marks the 30th-year anniversary of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), which President Bill Clinton signed on Oct. 25, 1994. Fabricant said industry could do a better job lobbying on Capitol Hill. 

“Thousands of people go to a trade show. There should be thousands in DC telling Congress how important the industry is,” he remarked. 

There is no cost to participate in NPA’s Fly-In Day, other than travel and accommodation. Participants must be members of NPA. Additional details and the registration form are available here. Registration closes May 1. The official hotel for the event is the Hilton Washington DC, and participants can reserve their room here. 

Questions can be addressed to Kyle Turk, NPA Director of Government Affairs, at [email protected].