According to the Natural Products Association (NPA) the latest criticism of the supplement industry in the Chicago Tribune, “offers a distorted picture of supplement safety,” said NPA Executive Director and CEO John Shaw. And being insiders ourselves, we too found many problems with the article as well:

• Using a few examples of supplement quality issues as an indictment of the entire industry is, as they say, throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
• The article perpetuates the myth that supplements are not regulated. (We addressed this myth in a prior post.) It’s important to emphasize that dietary supplements are part of a fully-regulated industry. Good manufacturing practices apply to all supplement manufacturers, large or small, and everyone in the industry must comply with them.
• Some of the examples of violations they cited were over six years old. Why alarm consumers over problems long since resolved?
• If the newspaper is truly interested in protecting the public, why not provide as we have, tips to choose the best quality supplements.

Granted, every industry will have its share of bottom dwellers that may try to cut corners to increase profits, but by and large most manufacturers like CNCA Health will not sacrifice the safety and efficacy of their products to make a buck.

While we do applaud the FDA’s efforts to root out unscrupulous manufacturers, the supplement industry does not sit idly by.  Industry groups like the NPA and many others take a proactive approach to self regulate and educate its membership on best practices. In doing so, industry standards are often higher than the minimum standards set by the FDA.

Leading dietary supplement manufacturers work hard to maintain the highest standards as we exist first and foremost to help people enjoy optimal health and wellness. Anything less would be morally offensive.

CNCA Quality Standards

At CNCA, our manufacturing process includes extensive testing for maximum purity and optimal potency. Our quality standards are unparalleled in the nutritional supplement industry, going well beyond the requirements of other certification programs and FDA regulations. We achieve the highest levels of quality by using independent analytical laboratories to extensively test raw materials and finished goods for purity, identity and potency.

For example, CNCA raw materials are independently tested for toxins and contaminants that are not required under USP and NSF certification programs. Our potency and metals testing are more precise, and our exhaustive chemicals and solvents testing greatly exceed USP and NSF standards. Finally, unlike other national standards, we screen all our botanicals for a full range of aflatoxins, agrochemicals, and solvents (more than 100 individual tests).

Because of our vigilance to quality, CNCA products are recommended by some of the country’s leading medical practitioners every day. CNCA products are used in hospitals, pharmacies, and by thousands of people across the U.S. who demand nothing less than the highest quality nutritional supplements.

We go to these extraordinary lengths to ensure that our superior quality products are consistently ultra-pure– because, in our opinion, this testing must be done in order to protect the public health. Our commitment to superior quality may make CNCA products cost a little more than the “bargain basement” brands, but if you’re as serious about your health as we are, it’s simply the right thing to do.

We encorage you to watch this five-minute video interview with Dr. Timothy Birdsall, vice chairman of CNCA's Quality Control Unit, who explains just how easy it is to find contaminated supplements and recommends which supplements everyone should consider taking.

Sources:

Chicago Tribune

Natural Products Association