Informed Choice launches in Japan with DNS and Biohealth Research

(Tokyo, December 15, 2016) International life sciences organization LGC has launched its supplements testing program Informed Choice into Japan with the support of leading sports nutrition brand DNS and auditing specialists Biohealth Research.

Informed-Choice is a quality assurance certification program for the sports nutrition industry. All supplements products that carry the Informed-Choice logo have been tested for substances banned in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at LGC’s world-class anti-doping laboratories.

DNS has shown its significant commitment to clean sport by certifying 22 products on to Informed-Choice, while Biohealth Research will support other Japanese brands and manufacturers in becoming certified on the globally-recognized program.

The announcement was made today at a jointly-held press conference in the Tokyo International Forum, the venue for weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“The Japanese sports nutrition industry has been seeking an anti-doping program that properly meets its needs for several years now, and Informed-Choice allows brands to provide products that have undergone a rigorous manufacturing audit and are also tested on a monthly basis,” said Terence O’Rorke, Director of Business Development for LGC’s supplements service. “We are delighted that DNS has shown such a significant commitment to providing quality, tested products for Japanese athletes and consumers, while Biohealth’s auditing expertise in Japan will be critical in assisting other brands to join DNS on the program.”

Research has shown that contaminated supplements remain a risk to athletes and sports across the world, and DNS’s focus on providing quality tested products has helped introduce a more rigorous and transparent level of testing in Japan.

Biohealth Research will provide the auditing expertise required for other Japanese brands to certify products on Informed-Choice, as well as the management of samples to be tested at LGC’s specialist anti-doping laboratory in the UK.

Informed-Choice was set up by LGC in 2007. For a product to become certified it must pass a strict manufacturing audit and have five samples tested for substances banned in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Once certified, the product is tested once per month under ‘blind’ conditions, which involves LGC purchasing the product and performing analysis without the direct involvement of the brand.

Currently, there are more than 630 products certified across Informed Choice and its sister program Informed Sport.