‘Impacting industry in a meaningful way’: NPA and UL announce education alliance for GMPs, claims and more

By Stephen Daniells

- Last updated on GMT

"We want this to be THE program that trains the industry" - Daniel Fabricant, PhD, CEO of NPA
"We want this to be THE program that trains the industry" - Daniel Fabricant, PhD, CEO of NPA
The Natural Products Association (NPA) and UL are partnering on a new education alliance to ‘raise the bar’ for dietary supplement manufacturers, distributors, auditors, retailers and other industry stakeholders.

The new education partnership will incorporate NPA’s regulatory and compliance seminars, web-based education and personalized, on-site training, along with top-notch training modules from EduNeering, the online regulatory training division of UL. The education will provide online and in-person education for NPA members.

Challenging the status quo

Daniel Fabricant, PhD, CEO of NPA, told NutraIngredients-USA that the aim was to raise the bar for all the industry. “There are other organizations out there offering education but you have to ask who is doing the training, and what is the background of these people?”

“I’m not a fan of the status quo,”​ he added, “and the personnel at NPA give us insights that other people just do not have.”

Mike O’Hara, general manager of Global Nutraceuticals for UL, added that the regulatory expertise in Dr Fabricant and Dr Corey Hilmas is unmatched in the dietary supplement industry.  “UL is very pleased to be partnering with them in this new endeavor. Through this alliance, the industry and consumers will undoubtedly be better served.

“The UL educational library includes courses that can be part of a company’s learning and compliance culture. The end result is a more knowledgeable, productive and effective organization that delivers bottom-line improvements through improved manufacturing quality and compliance with regulatory requirements.”

Educating the inspectors

The education alliance was the logical next step for both organizations given the combined reputation and expertise of both NPA and UL, said Dr Fabricant, and both organizations have a combined vision to see one program the industry can turn to for dietary supplement education.

“We anticipate this to be the start of a lasting relationship between NPA and UL that will reflect this shared vision and impact our industry in a very profound and meaningful way,”​ said Dr Fabricant.

“Additionally, through this partnership, we seek to educate those who inspect the facilities of dietary supplement manufacturers so we can demonstrate transparency in how auditors are qualified and provide consistency in the certifying process to elevate the standard for the entire industry. A GMP education system for third-party certifiers and auditors has never been done before.”

“We want this to be the​ program that trains the industry," ​added Dr Fabricant. "We have the most to offer, and if we want to make the most positive impact for the industry and for the consumer, there really needs to be one point of light leading the way and we think what we will provide will be that point of light, leading folks to solid ground.”

These training platforms include, but are not limited to:
•              How to Prepare for a current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) Inspection
•              How to Prepare for a Safe Quality Food (SQF) Audit
•              cGMPs for Manufacturing Plants and Equipment
•              cGMP Requirements for Quality Control
•              Introduction to Part 111 cGMPs
•              Packaging, Labeling, Holding and Distribution
•              Production and Process Control System for Manufacturing Operations
•              Dietary Supplements – Requirements for Records and Recordkeeping
•              How to Write and Qualify Claims as Structure/Function Claims
•              How to Write Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
•              Label/Labeling Requirements
•              Prior Notice and Labeling Requirements for Imports

Online marketplace

UL

It has been a busy couple of weeks for UL following the recent launch of its online marketplace for dietary supplements called UL ClearView, which is designed to help manufacturers manage quality assurance testing, audit and regulatory data, as well as helping to control complex supply chains.

This online proprietary platform has three main functions, said the company:
Emphasizes regulatory compliance of finished products;
Highlights quality assurance programs to prospective clients;
Showcases compliance to retailer programs

“Voluntary self-regulation and visibility into a quality assurance program can help mitigate oversight, and ultimately increase consumer confidence”​ said O'Hara. “UL ClearView is designed to help drive transparency in dietary supplement programs by providing a window into product and supplier compliance to regulatory and retailer requirements all in one place, online.”

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