In an effort to examine and provide guidance on critical issues surrounding dietary supplement quality, labeling and testing procedures—in part triggered by the New York attorney general’s investigations of botanical supplements—the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) will host “The UNPA Dietary Supplement Analytical Summit: The Evolution and Implications of Analytical Testing in the Post-New York Attorney General World,” Nov. 5-6, in Salt Lake City, UT.

The goal of the summit is to provide a deep understanding of current science, legal and regulatory developments raised by DNA barcoding and to help companies adapt and succeed in this unsettling marketplace.

“What is the appropriate use for DNA barcode testing? It is a global, disruptive technology that is affecting scores of industries, including ours. It is not going away,” said UNPA President Loren Israelsen. “The aim of this summit is to find agreement about the appropriate and logical uses of this analytical tool and to understand its limitations.”

The two-day summit will bring together nearly 20 world-class experts to debate and discuss the state of affairs regarding current testing procedures and ingredient identification; the strengths and weaknesses of DNA barcoding, including other product categories that might be targeted for its use; the GNC and Nature’s Way settlements with the New York attorney general; other state attorneys general activities; and the status of dozens of plaintiff class-action lawsuits.

Sessions are designed to help senior executives, legal and regulatory staff, QA/QC and R&D experts, and purchasing and marketing teams at dietary supplement companies, analytical labs and raw material suppliers understand the issues and formulate strategies to respond to rapidly changing consumer perceptions and a new manufacturing and production environment.

Speakers include GNC executives Jim Sander and Guru Ramanathan, PhD; Paula Brown, PhD, director, British Columbia Institute of Technology, National Health and Food Products Research Group; and Joseph Betz, Ph., director of the Analytical Methods and Reference Materials Program at the Office of Dietary Supplements. The program will also include speakers from industry companies, the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, NSF International, the American Botanical Council and the American Herbal Products Association, among many others.

For complete program, speaker and lodging information and to register, visit www.unpa.com/events. UNPA members receive a discount on their registration fee. See the UNPA website for details.

UNPA has secured a rate of $169 per night for lodging at the summit venue, the Salt Lake City Marriott City Center Hotel, but the group rate and availability are subject to change after Oct. 14.