Abbott Earns 100 Percent Banned Substance Free Certification for all of its EAS® Sports Nutrition Products

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- (NYSE: ABT) – Responding to the issue of illegal, unsafe products being marketed as dietary supplements, Abbott's EAS Sports Nutrition brand announced that it has certified all EAS nutrition products as free of banned substances.  Two leading, independent sports testing laboratories, focused on sports nutrition safety, have certified EAS quality processes and facilities and will perform ongoing banned substance testing as part of the certification program.

Starting in late fall, EAS retail products will be marked with a certified "tested and true" quality assurance seal on packaging.  The certified seal assures athletes, fitness professionals and active people that they can trust EAS products to be free of banned substances such as steroids and narcotics, as well as ingredients not declared on the product label.

Abbott applies its rigorous healthcare quality standards in the manufacturing of EAS sports nutrition products from raw ingredient to finished product.  The company has now enhanced those standards to include independent testing of EAS products for more than 146 banned substances prohibited by organizations including the World Anti-Doping Agency and U.S. professional sports leagues.

News Facts:

• According to a 2011 Euromonitor industry report, the popularity of sports nutrition products has exploded along with the fitness trend over the last decade, creating a $3 billion industry in the United States(1).
• Since 2007, the FDA has identified more than 300 illegal products marketed as "dietary supplements" that contained hidden drugs, stimulants or other undeclared substances(2).  
• The popularity of dietary supplements combined with the freedom and ease to buy and sell over the internet has attracted providers looking to make a quick profit, while leaving athletes and fitness enthusiasts with a greater risk of receiving tainted products.
• EAS Sports Nutrition partnered with two global industry leaders focused on sports nutrition safety.
  • NSF International, an independent, global public health and safety organization.
  • HFL Sport Science, a world-renowned sports doping control and research laboratory.
• Together, these organizations validate the many quality checks and measures that are a routine part of the EAS manufacturing process and rigorously test EAS products for banned substances.  

Commentary on the EAS 100 Percent Certified program:

From Ed Wyszumiala, general manager, NSF International Dietary Supplement Certification Programs:

"Abbott was the first company to have products certified by NSF International's Certified for Sport® program.  Today, Abbott continues to demonstrate its outstanding commitment to quality by certifying its EAS products to the highest quality and safety standards."  

From Caroline Russell, general manager, HFL Sport Science

"As a banned substance control lab which tests more than 5,000 supplement samples per year, we have seen firsthand the risks contaminated supplements can pose to athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Abbott has taken extraordinary steps to ensure their products are safe for athletes of all levels to use as validated by our rigorous quality control certification program."

From Tobe Cohen, divisional vice president and general manager of Global Performance Nutrition, Abbott:

"As part of a global healthcare company, we leverage Abbott's high-quality standards in our manufacturing.  We rigorously qualify and audit EAS ingredients, suppliers and facilities and conduct more than 100 quality checks throughout our manufacturing process.  With the EAS certified "tested and true" quality seal, athletes now have a trusted method to know they are buying a safe product."

From Keith Wheeler, PhD, FACSM, global director, Performance Nutrition Research, Development & Scientific Affairs, Abbott, R&D:

"As a scientist with more than 30 years of experience in sports nutrition, I've seen firsthand how nutrition can help athletes maximize their performance and recovery.  Until now, athletes and fitness enthusiasts did not have a reliable and objective standard to determine product quality.  Today, EAS is setting a new standard to raise the bar and provide athletes, fitness coaches, personal trainers and parents products they can trust to be safe and high quality."

Where to Learn More:

For more information on the EAS® 100 Percent Certified program, visit www.eas.com/certified.  

About the EAS Brand

Abbott, the maker of EAS, helped pioneer the development of specialized nutrition products for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.  Abbott produces premier sports nutrition products for people whose active lifestyles benefit from specialized nutritional support, in conjunction with a well-balanced diet, to help fuel their athletic performance.  Abbott is committed to using sound research and science to create high quality sports nutrition products to help athletes and fitness enthusiasts train and perform their best.  For more information, visit www.eas.com.

About Abbott Nutrition

For more than 85 years, Abbott Nutrition has been developing and marketing science-based nutritional products to support the growth, health and wellness of people of all ages.  Internationally recognized brands include the Similac® brand of infant formulas; the Gain® brand of growing-up milks; the PediaSure® line of nutritionals for children; and the Ensure® brand of complete and balanced nutrition for adults.

The company is a leader in nutritional products clinically shown to address the distinct dietary needs of people with serious health conditions or special nutrient requirements, such as the Glucerna® brand of nutrition shakes and bars for people with diabetes.

Abbott Nutrition also offers EAS® specialized products to meet the unique nutritional needs of athletes, as well as ZonePerfect® all-natural nutrition bars for busy, active lifestyles.

More information about Abbott Nutrition's products is available at www.AbbottNutrition.com.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.  The company employs nearly 90,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.  

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's         website at www.abbott.com.

Related Links:

• Find information about the EAS line of sports nutrition products at http://www.eas.com
• Follow EAS on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/EASBrand
• Become a fan of EAS on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/easbrand
• Visit the EAS Academy at: http://easacademy.org/
• Learn more about EAS certification program at: http://eas.com/certified
• Learn more about the EAS partnership with "I Play Clean™", an organization founded by NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus: http://eas.com/certified/play-clean
• Find out more about the HFL Informed-Choice program at http://www.informed-choice.org/
• Find out more about NSF International's Certified for Sport program at http://www.nsfsport.com/
• Learn more about EAS Unstoppable Tour in which one athlete completed 30 sports in 30 days at http://www.unstoppabletour.com
• Watch videos on sports nutrition and the EAS Unstoppable Tour at http://youtube.com/EASbrand
• View the EAS photostream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/easbrand
• Learn more about Abbott and Abbott Nutrition at http://www.Abbott.com and http://www.AbbottNutrition.com

(1) 2011 Euromonitor International "Sports Nutrition in the US" industry report

(2) U.S. Food and Drug Administration news release, December 2010

SOURCE Abbott