Weider bids for DSVP certification

Weider Nutrition International, which manufactures, distributes and sells vitamins and nutritional and sports supplements, is the fourth company to join United States Pharmacopeia's Dietary Supplement Verification Program (DSVP). Weider will initially submit its Schiff brand of Move Free joint care products for the DSVP certification process.

"We are very pleased to have Weider Nutrition participate in the DSVP programme,"​ said John T. Fowler, senior vice president and chief operating officer at USP. "As a leading producer of dietary supplement products, participation in DSVP will help Weider inform consumers that its Schiff products are made using high manufacturing standards."​

Bruce Wood, chief executive officer of Weider Nutrition, said: "As the flagship product of the Schiff supplement line, Move Free is already widely known and trusted by consumers. Our participation in the USP DSVP programme is intended to further develop this trust. We are also looking forward to submitting other Schiff vitamin/mineral/supplement products for DSVP certification in the future."​

The DSVP programme was launched in November 2001, by the USP​, a non-government organisation, to help inform and safeguard the growing number of consumers who use dietary supplements. The programme aims to reassure the public that dietary supplement products contain the ingredients stated on the product label.

Products submitted to DSVP that meet the USP's standards are awarded the USP-DSVP certification mark. The mark helps assure consumers, health care professionals, and supplement retailers that a product contains the declared ingredients on the product label, in the amount or strength indicated and that it meets requirements for limits on potential contaminants and has been manufactured properly by complying with USP and proposed FDA standards for "good manufacturing practices" (GMPs).

Weider expects the Schiff Move Free line of products will start carrying the DSVP certification mark by January 2003.