Supplement news:
ANN ARBOR, Mich., /PRNewswire/ -- The
following was released today
by the NFL, NFLPA and NSF International:
WHAT: The Supplement Certification
Program was created by the NFL and
NFLPA for eligible and participating manufacturers of nutritional supplements
to certify the accuracy of product labeling and to certify that the products
contain no substances banned under the NFL/NFLPA Policy on Anabolic Steroids and Related
Substances. To be eligible, such companies must not manufacture any products that contain
substances banned under such Policy.
The pre-packaged, food-based products (protein, carbohydrates, fiber,
vitamins) covered by this testing program will initially be limited to the
following categories:
-- Multivitamin
-- Pre-Workout
-- Post-Workout Recovery
-- Snack Bars
-- Joint Support Formulas
NSF International, an independent,
not-for-profit organization that is a
world leader in the certification of public health and safety programs, will
administer the testing of the supplements, including auditing the labs
utilized to verify both label accuracy and the absence of NFL/NFLPA Banned
Substances.
WHY: Neither the NFL nor the NFLPA endorses or encourages the use of
supplements or makes any claims regarding their effectiveness. In fact, the
league and union have agreed to ban certain ingredients judged to be harmful
to players that have been utilized in manufacturing supplements; for example,
stimulants such as ephedra and anabolic steroids, including pre-cursors such
as androstenedione.
Some supplement ingredients are currently not regarded by the NFL or NFLPA
as harmful to players and are, therefore, not banned. Some players choose to
utilize these non-banned nutritional supplements in training. In recognition
of this fact, the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to certify a limited number of
basic nutritional supplements, to provide players who choose to use these
particular products with an assurance only that these products are accurately
labeled and free of banned substances.
Most supplements are no longer under pre-market regulation by the Food and
Drug Administration and are not tested by federal or state governments.
Independent studies have suggested that a significant number of supplements
contain ingredients not listed on the packaging, including ingredients banned
by the NFL and NFLPA Policy. This program addresses that problem by providing players with
a reliable source of non-banned supplements.
HOW: Manufacturers that wish to be considered for this certification
program must apply to the NFL and NFLPA, providing detailed information,
including, for example, financial history and stability, product mix,
marketing, insurance coverage and litigation/regulatory agency history.
Companies that apply and meet the NFL/NFLPA criteria may participate in the
certification program. NSF will conduct a Good Manufacturing Practices audit
of all such companies' manufacturing and distribution facilities and will
regularly test product lots for accuracy in labeling. In addition, each
product lot will be tested under NSF supervision for banned substances prior
to packaging, distribution and sale.
All product packaging and all advertising, marketing and publicity
materials for products certified under this program will display the symbols
and copy, subject to the approval of all such materials by the NFL and NFLPA.
(http://www.nsf.org )
WHO: The following persons are responsible for the day-to-day
administration of NFL/NFLPA Supplement Certification Program:
NFLPA
Doug Allen, Assistant Executive Director
Stacy Robinson, Director of Player Development
NFL Players Association
2021 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 463-2200
NFL
Dennis Curran, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Peter Rucco, Senior Vice President
Adolpho Birch, Labor Relations Counsel
National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 450-2000
NSF International
Kathleen Pompliano, MS, RD, General Manager, Dietary Supplements Program
Lori Bestervelt, PhD, Chief Technical Officer
NSF International
789 Dixboro Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(800) 673-6275
SOURCE NSF International; NFL; NFLPA
Web Site: http://www.nsf.org
