As part of Nutraceuticals World’s 2026 State of the Industry review, Karen Howard, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic & Natural Health Association, examines how healthcare reform, tariffs, and emerging technologies like AI are reshaping the supplement industry.

Is 2025 the year that just kept giving gifts, or the never ending story of  tumultuous times? One thing is certain, it is impossible to sum up in 500 words, and it is virtually impossible to predict what the next 6 to 12 months will produce. That said, two themes for the dietary supplement industry appear to have teeth: Creating a new definition of healthcare, and tariffs. Seemingly unrelated topics that are interconnected by an uncertain future, and the urgency to address these forces, for the sake of the dietary supplement industry’s future.

Imposition of tariffs is directly associated with ingredient shortages, and the related cost increases. Add to that the possibility of increased adulteration. At risk is the integrity of our supply chain, the affordable access to quality products, and the ability to expand the market for dietary supplements to new consumer audiences in- and out-of-country.

Now add to the mix the stew of healthcare reform conversations. As of yet, there is no solid definition of “health.” We are a country, and for the most part a world, reliant on disease to drive policy and treatment. Without codification of rule or regulation we can never eliminate the (undefined) proliferation of “evil” ultra-processed foods from school lunch programs.

Making America Healthy Again (MAHA) feels as abstract as eliminating poverty. Yet, today’s reality might stand the test of a 4-year presidential term, and could open doors to a new way of being if we can quickly adapt and create new pathways.

Toss convention to the side, and embrace the power of artificial intelligence. This perfect compliance tool also affords us the opportunity to rethink our strategy. States, the school system, and employers are carrying the burden of healthcare costs. Many of these stakeholders are seeking solutions rooted in wellness, which affords us an opportunity to define those actions. Using AI to crunch the data, engage local business and the farming community will create new axes for defining solutions. It may also prove useful in the quest to ensure access to the raw ingredients we rely upon from other countries.

At the same time, we can create alliances that tap into the psyche of the MAHA movement and create the momentum for effective change at the local and state level. Our option is to sit back and watch our dysfunctional Congress and the crippled federal government proffer lip service. As Andy Stanley so aptly said, “Where there is fear, there is opportunity. Where there is great fear, there is great opportunity.”