An article entitled 'Functional Drinks: an uncertain future' co-authored by Craig Simpson and Darren Abrahams, attorneys in the Brussels office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, is featured in the 2005/2006 Life Sciences Industry Report and is available on the internet here.

The article discusses various EU legislative initiatives which threaten to significantly restrict the market for drinks and food claiming to have specific beneficial effects on health. The article also contains a detailed analysis of the European Commission proposal for a Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims (COM (2003) 424 final). The Claims Proposal regulates graphics and written claims in labelling or advertising. If you are marketing supplements in the EU, or plan to in the near future, this article is worth reading.

See also: Proposed European Legislation on Claims to hit Functional Food, Nutraceuticals and Dietary Supplements industry