Our Integrity is on the Line

“If your passenger goes through the windshield, should you still charge the fare?”

—New York City cab driver

In other words, don’t abuse customers and expect them to come back. Our greatest asset has been a loyal and trusting consumer who shows a belief in natural foods, natural health and environmental responsibility. They willingly came to our defense when the government harassed us or screwed up—DSHEA, the Rogers Proxmire Amendment of 1976 and the more recently proposed organic regulations by USDA.

Historically, the union between our industry and our consumers has approached a religious devotion. Recently, however, we have broken faith with our public by cutting corners on quality, making product claims we cannot prove, stealing intellectual property and pretending to believe in ideals we really don’t believe in.

But we are not fooling anyone. Consumer confidence in dietary supplements is falling. The media is having a field day exposing our foibles, and entrepreneurial testing dot coms are exposing the inconsistent quality of our products. Moreover, congressional support for DSHEA is weakening, and our profession of sincerity has become less believable as our lack of commitment to fundamental principles basic to the industry becomes more obvious.

Our integrity as an industry is on the line, and we have only a short time to sort ourselves out. Where do we begin? We begin with quality. Those that can’t or won’t meet their label claims of potency, identity and purity of ingredients should get out.

We are inexplicably tolerant of shoddy products. Those who pay the price to make quality products should insist that trade associations, publications and trade shows make product quality and label integrity conditions of participation. Much good work has been done, but more is in order. Uniform industry-wide certificates of analysis should be adopted, harmonized analytical methods should be completed and random testing by retailers—paid for by manufacturers and marketers—should become standard procedure.

In the next few months, FDA will propose a new round of good manufacturing practices (GMPs). It is likely that a major debate will erupt whether these proposed GMPs are too strict. While we must find the right balance, perhaps we should err on the side of expecting more—and not less—of ourselves in the manufacturing process.

In the Aug. 14 issue of Drugstore News, Rob Eder observes that while the bloom has not fallen off the dietary supplements rose, a closer examination of the numbers suggests that natural health is merely performing like any other mature industry. It is time that we act like one. Six years ago we fought and won the right to be a part of America’s future healthcare system. The only way we will lose our place at the table is by our failure to meet the needs and expectations of a supportive and interested consuming public that still wants to believe that we are worthy of their trust.

Is there any other way to a sustainable future for the natural products industry?

I think the answer is clear.

Loren Israelsen is president of the Salt Lake City-based LDI Group, a natural products industry consulting firm. For more information, contact ldi@ldigroup.com.