It is true that Omega 3 and other fatty acids are vital for our health and general well being. Realizing this and the tendency of the people to use indiscriminately health supplements that appeared in the market, many manufacturers tried to gain unfair advantage in the guise of selling products that contained Omega 3. This was being done more to make a fast buck than because of a genuine concern for those who were suffering from Omega 3 deficiency. To put brakes on this practice and to prevent manufacturers from making tall claims about Omega 3 that were not justified, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to introduce a law that would prevent manufacturers from making tall unjustified claims about their product being an excellent source of EPA and DHA, the main constituents of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Way back in 2004, FDA has issued guidelines to the effect and only those manufacturers whose product contained minimum 32 mg of DHA and EPA per serving or made up at least 20% of the required daily dose of EPA and DHA were allowed to make claims saying their product was an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids. However, seeing no effect of such guidelines on the manufacturers, the FDA, in 2007, put a blanket ban on producers making claims of their products being excellent sources of Omega 3. This was also done because of the fact there is no medical agency specifying the recommended daily dose of EPA and DHA.
FDA decided that manufacturers could only tell people that the products were good for health and led to overall nutritional well being of the people. This is because there is no consensus among experts about the daily recommended dose of EPA and DHA. While some stick to 160 mg of daily dose, there are others who claim a daily recommended dose of 500 mg of EPA and DHA. The association of the manufacturers of Omega 3 supplements is hoping that finally FDA would come out with a recommended daily dose that would put all issues in place.
FDA ruling was also prompted by manufacturers claiming prevention of Coronary heart Disease (CHD). Though scientists say that there is a correlation between higher intake of Omega 3 and reduced chances of CHD, this has not been proved inconclusively. This is why FDA has banned manufacturers from making this claim. FDA wants these claims to be qualified.