In meeting its mission to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements, ODS conducts programs and activities that can be categorized into five broad areas:
- Research and training
- Population studies and nutrient interventions
- Research resources
- Collaborations with other federal agencies
- Translating research findings
ODS’s key activities are grouped into the five categories. An ODS staff member oversees each program and most ODS staff members are active in more than one program. Each program interacts with one or more communities, including: research investigators; educators; health practitioners; research and educational institutions; federal agencies; dietary supplement, food, and related industries; media; consumer and public interest groups; and members of the public. For detailed information, see ODS programs and activities on the ODS website. See also ODS’s Strategic Plan 2025-2029 to learn more.
ODS's FY2024 budget is $28.5 million. This budget largely supports research.
In FY2024, ODS provided $20.4 million in funding to research projects. The distribution of these funds by project type—grants, contracts, and interagency agreements—is shown in the first figure. The largest allocation was for research grant co-funds. ODS does not award research grants directly but selectively co-funds meritorious peer-reviewed research relevant to dietary supplements with NIH Institutes and Centers.
