Is now the right time for clinical trials? The business of conducting clinical trials is changing. Due to the current global pandemic, research organizations are being forced to change how they recruit and monitor participants in studies and how they conduct daily business in general. For all of the change and general public uncertainty around […]

The quality of food and supplement clinical trials should be standardized to gain trust among consumers and regulators. Dietary supplement and food advertisers often tout the number of clinical trials conducted on their products, but the quality of these trials is neither evident nor questioned. International standards for research planning, conduct and reporting help ensure […]

Supplement brands should choose a contract research organization that can provide high-quality credible clinical data at a reasonable cost. Only a few finished product brands may have the in-house expertise to conduct research, thus it may be challenging for them to design and conduct a human study themselves or closely manage University labs. Hence, these […]

Clinical studies in general are perceived to be time-consuming. Most food supplement and ingredient companies—often the sponsors of clinical studies—consider clinical development gestation periods to be too long to make business sense. Luckily, the clinical trial industry is mature and, as such, has devised methods for speeding human studies for nutraceuticals. Developing unique claims through […]

When considering a clinical study, utilizing well-defined approaches can minimize study risks and maximize returns on investment. Clinical studies can be expensive, time-consuming and risky. Potentially riskier and costlier, however, is not conducting clinical trials. The clinical trial industry is mature enough that there are well-defined approaches to minimize study risks and maximize returns on […]

Clinical trials on supplement products can substantiate claims, but brands need to ensure they follow proper protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs). “Trust, but verify” was derived from a Russian proverb and popularized by President Ronald Reagan about 30 years ago. A human study may not be the only way to verify the health benefits […]