Verifying those elements of natural product production that effect their safety, purity and effectiveness

The practitioners natural product certification program was developed by an independent group of integrative medicine practitioners. This group includes doctors, scientists, researchers, pharmacists, acupuncturists, psychologists, naturopaths, herbalists, chiropractors and body workers. Their actions were motivated by a concern over natural product use by patients. They wanted to make sure that the natural products that patient's used to better their health were basically safe, pure and effective:

• Made from ingredients that are generally regarded as safe,
• Manufactured in a manner to ensure their purity,
• The label and content of the supplement were accurate,
• The ingredients of the formula had reasonable research or reliable history of use to show that it was effective.

The process of manufacturing and preparing supplements were broken down into several stages — if each stage was addressed correctly — the practitioners felt they would feel a high level of confidence that the product was manufactured in a manner to ensure that it was pure, safe and effective.

The PNPCP five star program was developed as a checklist to verify and validate the most important aspects of development and production of supplements. Each star verifies that a crucial area of production has met the standards of the practitioners. In some instances the standard is disclosure — i.e., if a product is made from raw materials or standardized extracts — no judgment is made as to which is superior. Likewise no judgment is made as to the origin of the raw material only that it is disclosed. Third party analysis is used to test the ingredients and verify their composition and purity.

Practitioners felt that by providing the most accurate information the patient and the practitioner could make more educated and informed decisions for their health care. This would lead to responsible use of natural supplements. As with the use of any health product — patients should always consult with their physician before taking a supplement.

Click here to see the Integrative Medicine Institute's Physician's Natural Product Certification Program Advisory Board.

The five star program verifies and validates:

1. RAW MATERIALS
   Made from ingredients that are generally regarded as safe (gras) and tested for purity and content 
   What kind - raw materials or standardized extracts
   If raw material - certified organic or inorganic
   Where are they from - country of origin
   State of purity - results of analysis of raw materials - documented analysis
2. MANUFACTURING PROCESS
   Manufactured in a manner to ensure their purity
   Type of process used
   Approved manufacturing facility
3. QUALITY CONTROLS
   Quality controls in place and utilized
   The type of quality controls
   How they are implemented
   Who is in charge
4. LABEL OF EFFECTIVENESS
   The label and content of the supplement were accurate and truthful,
   Literature and label reviewed and verified by knowledgeable attorney
   Batch run ID numbers, date of manufacture and expiration date
   Third party analysis of finished product to verify content and purity 
5. RESEARCH OF EFFECTIVENESS
   The ingredients or the formula had reasonable research or reliable history of use to show that it was effective.
   Third party analysis of the finished product verifying the content accuracy and purity.

Each product run will be separately certified and placed on the HealUSA.net web site and broadcast to the press. The product, which earns all five points of certification, will be authorized to use the certification for a full year. Each year and after a new product run the product needs to be reviewed and re-certified. This information and the information on the 5 star program certification should never be used instead of medical advice. Consult your physician before taking any natural supplement and medication.

Applying for Certification
* For further information for manufacturers/distributors interested in applying for the Physicians Natural Product Certification Program please click here.