Consumer Healthcare Products Association

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), which was founded in 1881, is a large trade association that represents manufacturers and distributors of nonprescription, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplements.

The CHPA has developed voluntary codes and guidelines that, among other things, state that advertising for OTC drugs should be truthful and non-deceptive, and should urge consumers to read and follow label directions.  Compliance with the codes and guidelines is, well, voluntary, and the options for resolving complaints are (1) having informal discussions with the company at issue, (2) using an A person chosen to settle a dispute or differences between parties., or (3) going to the BBB’s National Advertising Division, which can’t enforce compliance with its decisions or award money to those who have been harmed by a business.

The CHPA is also an active lobbyist.  Just as an example, in early 2012, the CHPA was given credit for setting a record for legislative lobbying expenses when it spent almost half a million dollars lobbying against a bill aimed at curbing meth production by limiting pseudoephedrine purchases to those who have prescriptions.