Certified Drug Free® 
BSCG Newsletter – November 2020
November 24, 2020
Banned Substances Control Group
We Are Grateful for Our Clients, Supporters and This Great Industry
In this month of gratitude, BSCG is reminded we have much to be thankful for.For despite the various challenges presented during this difficult year, BSCG has thrived, thanks first and foremost to clients like you. We are proud to work with more than 70 brands to certify 500+products available in 60 countries, and counting.
One silver lining of the pandemic has been an increased interest among everyday consumers in health and wellness, with health today being the new wealth. Consumer interest has grown for many dietary supplements, natural products, and nutrition products. Likewise, research has shown consumer awareness of third-party certification and testing has increased this year, as many people seek to find quality products that are safe and effective and can help boost their immune system.Supplement brands can make their products stand out in the marketplace by participating in third-party certification programs, showcasing their commitment to quality.
BSCG is grateful to all the athletes and sporting groups world wide who have acknowledged the BSCG Certified Drug Free program as a means of protection from banned substance concerns including the UFC, Operations Supplement Safety(OPSS), LPGA, NIH-ODS, CrossFit, Drug Free Sport, USA Triathlon, Anti-Doping Authority Netherlands, High Performance Sport New Zealand, New Zealand Defence Force Health, Canadian Sport Institute, IMG Academy,Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and others. And we are honored to have been chosen earlier in the year by SNDJ (Sports Nutrition and Dietitians Japan) as one of two official third-party dietary supplement certification providers recommended in Japan to protect athletes as they prepare for the upcoming Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.
We are excited to be a part of a wonderful industry that is represented by vital trade groups we are members of that work to make a difference in our industry including AHPA (American Herbal Products Association), CRN (Council for Responsible Nutrition), NPA (Natural Products Association) and UNPA (United Natural Products Alliance.
We wish our cherished clients a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
USPLabs Executives Sentencing Offers a Tale of Caution to theIndustry
In October, USPlabs executives were sentenced to prison terms, with the company and their manufacturer already forfeiting millions of dollars. The fraud, criminal conspiracy, and other malfeasance they perpetuated resulted in consumers of the once popular OxyElitePro suffering liver damage and liver failure.
In an interview with Natural Products Insider for an article about the development,BSCG President Oliver Catlin called the defendant’s conduct egregious. He says he found the strong penalties appropriate, given the severity of their violations, which included intentionally ignoring safety problems and misleading consumers.
“This unfortunate situation is a reminder to supplement brands that they can’t play games when it comes to the safety of their products and must take responsibility for what their products contain,” he adds today. “Compliance is a key foundation for brands and they need to ensure specifications and COAs for ingredients and finished products are in line with what is on the label.”
BSCG Fighting to Keep Sport Clean
BSCG has been committed to playing a role in trying to keep sport clean. For many years now, we’ve served as a cornerstone partnerof Support Clean Sport, a grassroots initiative that aims to nurture an environment of clean sport and to empower athletes to compete without abusing performance-enhancing drugs. We invite others to join us in this worthy cause and donate to Support Clean Sport at www.supportcleansport.com.
Towards that end we have been proud to sponsor an elite men’s cycling team in theU.S. for five years, which in the coming year will be renamed the BSCG/Support Clean Sport/Gutten plan Coaching team. In 2018, team captain David Guttenplan be came the USA CRITS season champion, winning the orange jersey competition and putting our message on top of the podium. As we said at the time, we’ve never stopped believing that athletes who choose not to dope can reach the pinnacle of success in sport, whatever the sport might be.
A Message of Thanksgiving from Our Business DevelopmentManager Johnny Gamble and All of Us at BSCG!
I am thankful to be part of something that really does make a difference for people. We are on the good side of things, making differences by influencing policies that lookout for people and the greater good, while protecting their health and well-being. We make a positive difference for the brand owners, we give them peace of mind that their brands are secured. I am thankful to be part of a team that has such unique technical passion sall related to this industry that help improve quality and achieve the highest standards.
I am thankful to be welcomed by a family legacy, and help their cause that started back in the early 80’s. We are to here to help make a difference, so when people see our seal, it means that they can trust a product. They can sleep at night without thinking“did I take something that could potentially ruin my entire career?” I am thankful for the professional recognitions and how people come to meet us, and to hear their stories and experiences. I am thankful for the trust that they put in us.
I am thankful that our industry has been blessed despite the current social and economic challenges brought on by the pandemic. I love being part of the supplement industry, knowing that there are good people out there making a difference in people’s health.
Thank you to all of you that make a difference in this world!
