The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) has maintained a steady flow of government referrals in 2023, underscoring its dedication to upholding compliance standards for the direct selling channel.
In January 2023, the Council referred Perfectly Posh, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based personal care and beauty company, after the company and its salesforce representatives made multiple income claims, including several claims about “replacing your income” and achieving “career-level income.”
Efforts by DSSRC to contact Perfectly Posh through a November 2022 Notice of Inquiry yielded no response from the company. Despite subsequent outreach, including a 10-day notice, Perfectly Posh did not provide a response to DSSRC’s inquiry, prompting the matter to be referred to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
In a significant development that could impact the accessibility and cost of natural health products (NHPs) across Canada, the country’s national health department, Health Canada, has announced a proposed fee aimed at offsetting regulatory costs. Responsible for overseeing various aspects of health standards and wellness policy to ensure public safety, Health Canada unveiled the plan on May 3, revealing its intention to levy a fee on manufacturers and distributors of natural health products as part of an effort to enhance oversight and ensure product safety. The department closed public comments and consultations on the proposal on Aug. 10, 2023, and is working toward an implementation date of April 1, 2025.
The Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services within the Committee on Oversight and Accountability (U.S. House of Representatives) held a hearing in late July, titled “Hemp in the Modern World: The Yearslong Wait for FDA Action,” to examine the failures of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate CBD and hemp-derived products. 
