QUESTIONS TO ASK AND GET SATISFACTORY ANSWERS ABOUT:
QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Does the company or its outside contractors follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's)? If so, is it food, OTC, or pharmaceutical?

• Does the company have a GMP compliance audit procedure? Has the company been independently audited to verify its compliance with GMP's? Who did the audit? Is a copy of the audit available?

• Does the company have an in-house Quality Assurance/Quality Management (QA/QM) program? If yes, what is the staff size and qualifications? To whom does QA report?

• Does the company have an internal audit process?

• Are all raw materials quarantined before Quality Assurance releases them?

• Does the company have a label management program?

• Does the company have a formal training program? If so, is it documented?

• Does the company have written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) that cover manufacturing, quality control, sanitation, material procurement, etc.? Does the QA/QM department ensure compliance with the SOP's?

ABOUT RAW MATERIALS SOURCING

Ask the company to answer the following questions about their criteria for purchasing raw material. Frequently, sales representatives do not know this information. If you really want to know you may have to press them for it. Raw materials can be purchased from a broker, distributor, directly from the manufacturer, domestically or abroad. In any case asking to see if the company answers these questions helps steer you toward getting a quality product and weeds out the under performers.

• What is the country of origin?

• Is the certificate of Analysis (C of A) your own or a copy from the manufacturer or distributor?

• Has the product been tested for levels of lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, or other heavy metals? By whom? Are the results available?

• Has it been independently identified and assayed for potency and authenticity? What sample preparation, methodology, and instrumentation were used?

• Who performed the identification, potency and authenticity assay? Are copies available?

• If it is herbal material, ask the following questions in addition to some or all of the above.

• Was the plant material verified for the correct genus and species?

• Which part(s) of plant was/were used?

• When was the plant harvested?

• Was it stored under proper conditions of temperature, humidity?

• Was it organically or commercial grown, or wild crafted?

• Which extraction process was used? Alcohol, water, solvent?

• If an extract, is it sprat dried or dried on a filler such a maltodextrin or another filler?

• If a solvent was used, which one?

• What amount and type of pesticide residue present, if any? Was it tested for residue?

• Are there any additives or fillers added to the product? If so, what?

IF YOU FEEL PARTICULARLY ATTACHED TO A BRAND OF SUPPLEMENT YOU HAVE BEEN TAKING, CALL THEM AND ASK.

GET SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE PUTTING INTO YOUR BODY--
GET ANSWERS.

This information came from a conversation with
Rick Liva, N.D., RPh
President of ViTAL NUTRIENTS