The recently formed Ramazanov Award Foundation (RAF) will reward individuals for their ethical behavior and unbiased scientific integrity. The award is aimed at enhancing the credibility of the US dietary supplements industry.

The initial plan had been to present the award at this week's SupplySide East, but the foundation decided to extend the nominations period to encourage a wider selection of nominees.

Lawrence Switzer, who is on the board of directors of the foundation, said that they were pleased with the quality of nominated candidates, "but in order to get a broader spectrum of nominees we would like to include industry players that are more intimately connected with well-researched products that have shown strong efficacy and gotten a strong market response.

"These are the kind of stellar innovators we want to acknowledge and, hopefully, encourage. So we decided to extend the nomination period until later in the year in order to do this."

The foundation was set up shortly after the tragic death of Zakir Ramazanov, a prominent figure in the US dietary supplements industry. Dr. Ramazanov's contributions include advances in lycopene extraction technology, extraction and standardization of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, cultivation of Spirulina; and also the introduction of Siberian Rhodiola rosea, pomegranate extract, and algae-derived carotenoid fucoxanthin to the North American marketplace.

Leonid Ber, MD., president of the foundation told NutraIngredients-USA.com: "The response from the industry has been overwhelmingly positive as to the concept of the award. We hope to gain some momentum after the first year Award 'cycle' and the future expansion of the Board of Directors by offering the nominees to step up and get involved."

The foundation is now aiming to present the award later in the year at SupplySide West.

Nomination criteria

According to the foundation's webpage, the criteria for nominations include:

"An industry member who has time and again shown to exhibit an unbiased scientific approach to addressing the marketing 'hysteria' and 'sensationalism' often found in the dietary supplement and natural products industry.

"Such individual would be someone who strives to add credibility and professionalism to the industry as a whole, moving it into the future with sound review, research and or constructive criticisms making it a successful and rewarding field.

"This individual will have dedicated their time and work toward making significant contributions and improvements in the health and well being of other individuals through nutrition and natural products."

For further information and to make nominations, please visit: http://www.ramazanovaward.org