INFORMED-SPORT global quality standard certification
Informed-Sport is a testing and certification programme for sports supplements and ingredients, designed to test products to ensure they are not inadvertently contaminated with substances prohibited in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The Informed-Sport programme was founded by HFL Sport Science, now part of the LGC Group. The Informed-Sport programme was created in 2008 in close collaboration with UK Anti-Doping - UK’s National Anti-Doping Organisation - and members of the supplements industry. Its sister programme, Informed-Choice is a monitoring programme designed for the general consumer.
Why is prohibited substance testing necessary?
Responsibility for the quality of a product rests entirely with the manufacturer, and reputable manufacturers do everything in their power to keep their supplements free from contaminants. However, even a trace level of contamination with a banned substance is a threat to the career of an elite athlete and requires a sensitivity of screening considerably beyond routine quality control systems.
How to Register
Product and manufacturing quality review - This assessment draws on many years of experience in supplement analysis and evaluates the integrity of the manufacturing stages from supply of raw materials, through third party manufacturing, into packaging and storage. The programme is co-ordinated by a central administrator (LGC) and calls on the advice of the Informed-Sport Advisory Panel as and when needed. All information is held in strict confidence between LGC and the prospective programme member (Member).
Product testing to ISO 17025 standards - Pre-registration testing requirement: a minimum of five samples per product to be registered. These should comprise three samples from a single batch (to assess intra-batch variation) and one sample from two further batches (to assess inter-batch variation).
Post-registration testing: once registered, two packs from each and every batch of manufactured product are submitted by the Member to LGC. One pack (the A sample) is tested using LGC’s ISO accredited supplement screen. The second pack (the B sample) is retained in secure storage at LGC for the product shelf life. In addition, for final products, “blind” testing is also performed (typically 4 per year for each registered product) to independently ensure the integrity of that product. “Blind” samples are purchased by the Informed-Sport administrator from retail outlets.
Logo use and web directory - All Members are entitled to use the Informed-Sport logo on registered products. In addition all tested products are listed on the Informed-Sport web directory, allowing elite athletes to choose products which have been screened for banned substances and to avoid those that have not been through the Informed-Sport certification process.
The following key elements are integral to the Informed-Sport programme:
- Audit of the quality systems in place at the manufacturing facility
- Product label review
- Testing using ISO 17025 accredited methods
- Pre-registration testing of products
- Post-registration testing of each batch of product (prior to sale)
- Secure storage of each batch of product
- Post-registration blind testing
- Use of the Informed-Sport logo
- Display of tested products on the Informed-Sport website
- Website for communication and education
The Informed-Sport standard provides a defined specification based on the very best scientific expertise to both manufacturers and consumers and re-assurance that products bearing the Informed-Sport logo can be TRUSTED.
Email: info@informed-sport.com Tel: +44 (0) 1638 720500 Fax: +44 (0) 1638 724401