In a previous article titled, “Picking the Right Contract Labs for Testing Success,” I brought to light some of the many aspects and considerations involved in choosing the best fit for cGMP (current good manufacturing practice) testing needs.
Archive for the 'FDA' Tag
Rare is the company that solely sows the seed, grows the botanical, processes or combines it with other ingredients and finally puts the finished product on the store shelf. A handful of them still exist today, making up many of the leaders in this industry.
If Alkemist Labs had a grandfather his name would be DSHEA. He would be 20 years old and have had already fathered a son named cGMPs, who would have fathered a handful of testing labs. Without either there would simply be no lab perspective.
When I was given the opportunity to write on “Politics in the Lab,” I immediately went to “Internal conflict” or “HR related issues” or the semi-political games many of us have to occasionally play in effort to advance in our lives and careers.
A recent research article, “DNA barcoding detects contamination and substitution in North American herbal products,” has generated a considerable amount of attention toward its findings. Having read, reread and read again the entire article, I humbly accept any offerings of gratitude for saving you time, as these two sentences summarize the entire article:
With cardiovascular disease being touted as one of the world’s largest killers it’s no surprise the nutraceuticals industry has responded with an array of products. If you type “cardiovascular” or “heart health” in the search field of any industry news website, a daunting list of articles appears.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is what I grew up with. And there was that pyramid telling us to eat some bread, some fruit and veggies, and a little protein and dairy while being sparse with the fats and oils. They even included “sweets,” as if it’s ever really OK to eat sugary foods.
When my father and I started the lab in the late ‘90s, we delivered our Certificates of Analysis (C of As) via the U.S. Post Office and email. I licked stamps and placed them on large envelopes. Then I put a Post-It-note on the fax machine informing others of my intention to occupy the line by dialing into what was called “The World Wide Web.”
In today’s marketplace, differentiating your brand from others can be a delicate dance amongst trending value propositions (i.e., Why should potential customers use your services over others?). While marketing relevance can be like aiming for a moving target, one marketing trend whose relevance is growing exponentially is quality assurance.