USANA Awarded the NutriSearch Gold Medal of Achievement™

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- USANA Health Sciences, Inc. (NYSE: USNA), a global nutritional supplement company, today announced it was named "Editor's Choice" in the 5th edition of Lyle MacWilliam's Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements and has received its prestigious NutriSearch Gold Medal of Achievement. The guide compares over 1,500 nutritional products in North America to an independent nutritional benchmark and tests not only the nutrients included in a supplement, but also "the balance of those ingredients [and] manufacturing practices."

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"This is the second year in a row we've been awarded the Gold Medal of Achievement from NutriSearch, and we're honored to continue receiving their highest distinction of honor," says Dan Macuga, USANA vice president of marketing and public relations. "When you manufacture your own products like we do, it's always a great feeling to be recognized for a job well done."

"We believe strongly that quality manufacturing is just as important—maybe even more important—than what's on the label," explains the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements website. "That's where the NutriSearch Medal of Achievement Program comes in... To reach GOLD status, [supplement manufacturers] not only have to demonstrate the highest quality standards, but also subject their product to a third-party, certified analysis of label claims to prove that what's on the label is also in the bottle."

USANA, which recently acquired FDA Drug Establishment Registration allowing it to produce over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, models its manufacturing processes after pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The company credits its stringent and well-tuned manufacturing standards for the many third-party approvals and accolades it receives each year.

In the second quarter of 2011, USANA won 15 awards in two months, including "Best Dietary Supplements" from the Utah Best of State Awards. It was their 7th win since 2003. USANA also recently received approval for its CoQuinone 30 and its popular multivitamin, The Essentials, from another third-party organization, ConsumerLab.com—the same organization that named USANA "#1 Overall Merchant for Customer Satisfaction" earlier this year.

"Many companies outsource their manufacturing to a vendor," says Jim Brown, vice president of international operations. "Since we manufacture the majority of our products in house, we are directly accountable to the FDA and to our users. So it goes without saying that we take safety and quality very seriously."

For more information about USANA's products and company, visit www.USANA.com.

About USANA: USANA Health Sciences develops and manufactures high-quality nutritionals, personal care, energy and weight management products that are sold directly to Preferred Customers and Associates throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Learn more at our website (www.USANA.com), read our blog (www.whatsupUSANA.com), like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/usanahealthsciences), or follow us on Twitter (@usanainc)

About the Author: Lyle MacWilliam, MSc, FP, is an author, educator and biochemist who serves as a consultant and public advocate to the natural health products industry. A former Canadian Member of Parliament and provincial Member of the Legislative Assembly for British Columbia, Mr. MacWilliam served at the behest of Canada’s former Minister of Health to help develop an innovative regulatory framework for natural health products, ensuring Canadian consumers access to safe, effective and high quality nutritional supplements. As a consultant to the natural health products industry, he continues to work with major nutritional manufacturers in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and China. Mr. MacWilliam has also served as a contributory writer to Life Extension Foundation, a leading advocate of anti-aging medicine, and has been a consultant to Environment Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, and the British Columbia Science Council. He is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders, an international organization bringing together authorities from all fields in a global network connecting industry veterans and academic professionals with institutional investors. 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ashley Collins
USANA Director of Marketing, Public Relations & Social Media
(801) 954-7629
Ashley.Collins (at) us.usana.com

SOURCE USANA Health Sciences, Inc.