Emerson Quality Program (EQP) Debuts Inaugural EQP Participants

BEDFORD, N.H., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Emerson Ecologics, LLC announces the official launch of the Emerson Quality Program(SM) (EQP) on their website, www.emersonecologics.com/quality. This one-of-a-kind quality assurance program for the nutritional supplements industry will showcase the quality practices of the industry's leading manufacturers.

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Emerson is stepping up its longstanding commitment to quality with the creation and implementation of the Emerson Quality Program (EQP).  The EQP will facilitate increased awareness of quality by providing healthcare professionals, and their patients, access to comprehensive information about the quality practices of EQP participating manufacturers.

"As evidenced by Sen. John McCain's recently introduced Dietary Supplement Safety Act, the issue of dietary supplement quality is clearly of critical importance," stated Lise Alschuler, ND, Vice President of Quality and Education at Emerson Ecologics. "The launch of the Emerson Quality Program offers an industry-led, proactive response to concerns about supplement safety."

The EQP is a voluntary program in which participating manufacturers provide information about their quality practices, including compliance to FDA Dietary Supplement cGMPs (current Good Manufacturing Processes), raw material and finished product testing.  This information is summarized and published on the Quality page of the Emerson website. Throughout the second quarter of 2010, quality practices for EQP Participants will be verified through a combination of document and on-site audits.  Those suppliers that meet Emerson's quality standards will be designated with an EQP Partner emblem throughout the website.

The following brands recognize the importance of quality as demonstrated by their early participation in the EQP: Advanced Formula Enzymes, Agape Health Products, Allergy Research Group, Avesta, BioGenesis Nutraceuticals, Bio-Tech Pharmacal, Boericke & Tafel, DaVinci Laboratories, Designs For Health, Devita, Douglas Laboratories, EcoNugenics, Evergreen Herbs, Gaia Herbs/Professional Solutions, Heel, Immune Health Basics, Innate Response, Integrative Therapeutics, Kira St. John's Wort, Kwai Garlic, Min Tong, MMS Pro, Montiff, Mycology Research Labs, Natural Health International, Nature's Way, NatureWorks,  NESS Enzymes, NewMark, NutraRx, Omega Nutrition, Perque, PhysioLogics, Phytopharmica, PhytoRich, Primary Source, Progressive Laboratories, Proper Nutrition, Protocol For Life Balance, Pure Encapsulations, Quincy Bioscience, Right Foods, Rx Vitamins (Pets), Sound Formulas, Tang Long Tea Pills, Vitanica, and Wise Woman Herbals.

The EQP has widespread industry support. According to Duffy McCay, ND, VP Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Council for Responsible Nutrition, "It's important for companies to take proactive steps to help ensure that they are manufacturing and marketing high-quality products.  The Council for Responsible Nutrition commends Emerson Ecologics for emphasizing the need for quality through its new quality assurance program and for developing a mechanism for making this information available to the healthcare practitioner.  This program should help practitioners to better know their suppliers and reinforces the importance of quality practices in the dietary supplement industry."

Loren Israelsen, Executive Director of the United Natural Products Association (UNPA) remarked, "Emerson Ecologics has made it a central mission to verify critical raw material and finished product specifications.  This is no small task, and we will all be better for the work that Emerson is doing."  

The Emerson Quality Program is designed to support all quality efforts in the dietary supplement industry, including that of current third party certification entities.  The support is mutual.

"In a time of increased regulatory enforcement, the quality control measures such as those being taken by Emerson will help build confidence for the practitioners who are purchasing the products they distribute," commented NSF International's Lori Bestervelt, Ph.D., Senior VP and CTO and Ed Wyszumiala, General Manager, Dietary Supplement Programs.

About Emerson Ecologics

Emerson Ecologics, LLC is the leading provider of products and services to the professional integrative healthcare community, distributing over 20,000 products from hundreds of industry leading manufacturers. They serve Naturopathic Doctors, Chiropractic Doctors, Licensed Acupuncturists, Dieticians, Medical Doctors, Nurses, and more. As a result of their broad product offering, e-commerce capabilities, and commitment to the industry's focus on safety and quality, Emerson serves as the one-stop source of products, services and educational solutions for the integrative healthcare practitioner.  For more information, visit the company's website at www.emersonecologics.com.

SOURCE Emerson Ecologics, LLC