What is GMP, and why is it not enough to protect athletes, consumers, equines and canines?

21 C.F.R. 111 – Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are a set of guidelines that the FDA put together to govern the manufacturing of food and/or dietary supplements. They cover areas such as personnel, sanitation, storage, the manufacturing process and tracking, quality standards, quality control and adverse event tracking. Only in the last decade did it become mandatory for all supplement manufacturers to make products according to GMP. While this requirement has improved quality overall, it does not ensure quality in products as the guidelines are weak and vague in certain areas, especially in regards to ingredient specifications, finished product specifications and contaminant testing.