Final answer:
Manufacturers cannot claim that a nutrient, food, or supplement diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents any disease because such claims are not FDA-approved. Supplements must carry disclaimers if they make unapproved health-related claims, and are regulated differently from pharmaceuticals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Manufacturers of food cannot claim a nutrient, food, or supplement diagnoses, treats, cures, or prevents a serious health condition. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates supplements by treating them as food rather than pharmaceuticals, hence why they must meet the FDA's Good Manufacturing Standards. Nevertheless, they are not held to the same stringent standards as drugs.
This is why when supplement manufacturers make claims that their product may reduce the risk of a disease or targets certain body systems, these claims are not approved by the FDA, and labels must include a disclaimer that the products are not intended "to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." This disclaimer is necessary because while they may make structural and functional claims, these do not undergo the approval process as for drugs. Any supplements are removed from the market in the United States only after the FDA proves them hazardous.