|
China Raw Goods Verification Program
| China Main Page | Program Overview | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Press Release | Testing Results | Contact Information |
In an industry first, the Natural Products Association is offering a program for testing Chinese raw materials for purity and composition. The program is in response to industry efforts to maintain product quality and reliability as competition to supply ingredients and raw materials to the industry grows. Instead of relying either on tests provided by China or post-shipment tests, U.S. manufacturers can test the quality of Chinese raw materials prior to shipment, and members have access to a database of suppliers‘ test results for consideration when making contractual decisions.The association’s program also offers suppliers a competitive edge as well as a chance to prove the quality of their products.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
1. The supplier contracts with Natural Products Association ingredient testing program. A user agreement can be obtained by contacting dfabricant@naturalproductsassoc.org or jcrowther@naturalproductsassoc.org
2. The supplier submits a representative sample(s) for a lot or batch, user agreement and payment to Natural Products Association-China for testing. The Natural Products Association-China blinds and diverts the sample to U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)-China in Shanghai. The list of tests currently underway will be available shortly.
3. On receipt of the sample USP-China will conduct tests as indicated in user agreement, with anticipated turn-around of 10-14 working days.
4. USP-China completes testing and generates a test report (in English and Chinese). This report is submitted to the Natural Products Association. (Test Report is a results only document; does not convey USP Verification for that ingredient lot.) Click here to view a sample report.
5. The USP test report is retained by the Natural Products Association. The association will notify supplier(s) of results. If a problem is identified during the testing process, the Natural Products Association will notify the supplier. Any re-testing of materials will be conducted at the expense of the supplier.
6. The test report will be provided to the supplier as well as entered into the testing program ingredient database on the Natural Products Association Web site, where it can be viewed by Natural Products Association members. The password-protected database will be released shortly. Members of the Natural Products Association will have access to the database by logging on to our Web site. If you wish to access the association database but are not currently a member of the Natural Products Association, please contact dfabricant@naturalproductsassoc.org to ask about single viewing rates and procedures.
7. Once lots/batches are tested through the program reach their destinations, the manufacturers that purchase and receive the lots and/or batches of supplier material will submit samples for a re-test free of charge after receiving them, to confirm the integrity of the material as a form of surveillance. Surveillance checks will be performed at random.
Frequently ASked Questions (FAQ) on china Verification program
Who does Natural Products Association- China Purity testing?
U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) scientists in Shanghai, China perform the tests for the Natural Products Association in most cases. In some instances where USP does not have highly specialized equipment to run some tests, such as microbiological evaluations, USP will subcontract these test to laboratories that USP has inspected and audited.
How does the program work?
The Natural Products Association has a contract with USP to test dietary supplement raw ingredients. The tests may be used to confirm the identity, strength, and purity of the ingredient, or they may be limited to searching for the presence of contaminants. The association member company that orders the test determines what gets tested.
What is the fee structure and what do I get?
There is a menu for fees and testing services that are offered by the program. On completion of testing Natural Products Association will provide the user with a press release document stating that lot # abc of ingredient x was tested by selected assay and this is how it performed. That information will be published on a password protected area of the Natural Products Association's member website.
Is there a physical certificate?
USP provides the Natural Products Association with a Certificate of Analysis and a test report for each ingredient tested.
How can I join the purity program?
Please contact Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the Natural Products Association’s Washington, D.C. office, (202)-223-0101, dfabricant@naturalproductsassoc.org
Where and how do I send samples?
Samples are sent to Natural Products Association- China where they are blinded and diverted to USP for testing.
How do I contact suppliers that have gone through the testing process?
The supplier’s contact information is provided alongside their testing results in the Natural Products Association database on our Web site (coming soon).
Is the FDA aware of this program?
Yes, both the FDA and relevant Congressional offices on Capitol Hill are aware of the association’s efforts to ensure the quality of our industry’s products, and are encouraged by our cutting edge approach to the China marketplace.
| 
