5. Claim Requirements

Food Supplements
Philippines

This section provides information on the definition of different types of claims and any restrictions or allowance of claims as well as claim registration processes.

5.1 Overview of Claims

5.1.1 Types & Definitions

Please refer to Section 5.1.1 of the "General Foods" guidebook for the Philippines for a thorough definition of the different types of claims.

5.1.2 List of Prohibited Claims

“Foods supplements” should comply with Section 5.1.2 of the “General Foods” guidebook for the Philippines.

Additionally, the below applies:

• Food supplements shall NOT have curative claims or therapeutic claims.
• No claims shall be made in the advertisement, promotion, and other marketing materials for the use of any food supplement which is not contained in the label or approved by the FDA [1]. 
• Any special claims must be substantiated and research results, scientific terms, statistics, or quotations must be properly used, which must likewise be duly approved by the FDA prior to the use in any advertisement, promotion, and other marketing materials.
• It is not allowed to make use of any reference to any laboratory report of analysis in the advertisement, promotion, and use in other marketing materials of any food/dietary supplement unless such laboratory report is duly approved by the FDA for use for such advertisement, promotion, and other marketing materials.

5.2 Nutritional Claims

5.2.1 Permitted Claims

There are no permitted nutritional claims that are specific to “Foods Supplements”. This category should comply with Section 5.2.1 of the “General Foods” guidebook for the Philippines.

5.2.2 Nutritional Claim Registration

N/A

5.3 Health Claims

5.3.1 Permitted Claims

There are no permitted health claims that are specific to “Foods Supplements”. This category should comply with Section 5.3.1 of the “General Foods” guidebook for the Philippines.

5.3.2 Health Claim Registration

All food supplements are required to register with the Philippines' FDA [2]. All claims, including health claims, associated with the product shall be evaluated and approved by the FDA, and this shall be done at the same time during product registration.

New Health Claims

Same as above

List of documents and other requirements required for health claim approval

There are no documents specific to “Foods Supplements”. This category should comply with Section 5.3.2 of the “General Foods” guidebook for the Philippines.

Estimated cost and duration for health claim approval process

Please refer to Section 6.2.

5.4 Other Notes or Requirements for Claims

Please refer to Section 5.4 of the “General Foods” guidebook for the Philippines.

5.5 References

1. Annex D Administrative Order No. 2014-0029 Rules and Regulations on the Licensing of Food Establishments and Registration of Processed Food, and the Other Food Products, and for Other Purposes

https://www.fda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Administrative-Order-No.-2014-0029.pdf

2. CXS 2-1985 Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling

https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXG%2B2-1985%252FCXG_002e.pdf