Tuesday, June 21, 2022
8:00am Summit Registration Begins
9:00am – 12pm JC Kickoff
Joint Committee – Cosmetics -– Sheraton Hotel Location – O’Hare Room
This is a formal meeting of the Cosmetics Joint Committee. Contact rbrooker@nsf.org for more information
12:00pm – 1pm     Lunch
1:00pm – 5:00pm Joint Committee – Dietary Supplements Sheraton Hotel Location – O’Hare Room
This is a formal meeting of the Dietary Supplements Joint Committee. Contact rbrooker@nsf.org for more information
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
8:00am – 12:00pm         JC Day 2
Joint Committee – Over-the-Counter Drug -– Sheraton Hotel Location – O’Hare Room
This is a formal meeting of the OTC Joint Committee.Contact rbrooker@nsf.org for more information
11:00am – 12:00pm   CBD Taskforce Next Steps – Sheraton Hotel Location – Gateway Room
This is an open forum discussion to CBD Taskforce members and summit registrants. 
12:00pm – 1pm     Lunch
12:30pm – 1:30pm GRMA Technical Committee – Sheraton Hotel Location – Gateway Room
This is a formal meeting for the GRMA Technical Committee.        Applications – https://grmalliance.org/committees/
1:00pm – 3:30pm GRMA Dietary Supplement Product Integrity Committee Sheraton Hotel Location – O’Hare Room
This is a formal meeting for the GRMA DSPI Committee.                                                   Applications – https://grmalliance.org/committees/
3:30pm – 4:45pm GRMA Retailer Roundtable Sheraton Hotel Location – Gateway Room
This is a formal meeting for the GRMA Roundtable Meeting.     Applications – https://grmalliance.org/committees/
6:00pm – 8:00pm Welcoming & Networking Happy Hour – Sheraton Hotel Location – Rosemont &/or Chicago Rooms
Thursday, June 23, 2022 – Sheraton Hotel Location – Grand Ballroom
7:30 – 8:30am Registration and breakfast
8:30 – 8:45am Welcome – Mike Finamore, GRMA Governance Board Chair
8:45 – 9:15am GRMA – Address Allyn Shultis, GRMA Executive Director
Provides an update on the GRMA, achievements, and exciting look into what is in store for the future!
9:15 – 10:00am Performance Standards and Official Methods of Analysis to Assess Agricultural and Environmental Risks in Product SafetyPalmer Orlandi, Jr, Ph.D., Deputy Executive Director and Chief Science Officer, AOAC International

Environmental contaminants, either man-made or naturally occurring, can pose a risk to agricultural product safety and a threat to consumer health by their persistent presence in soil, sediment, and groundwater. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and toxic elements (heavy metals) are two such environmentally ubiquitous, bio- accumulative classes of contaminants in agricultural products that continue to draw the attention of regulators and public health officials alike. As with all such traded commodities, data confidence for risk assessments; surveillance and compliance programs; and internal GMP practices is heavily dependent on validated, fit-for-purpose compendial methods that are based on consensus-driven performance standards. PFAS and toxic element contaminants, however, present unique analytical challenges based on their chemistry, affected matrices, and potential toxic exposure among subsets of the population. This presentation will offer insights into the public health threat each presents, the existing gaps in testing capabilities, and the role analytical standards and methods development must play in ensuring product integrity and safety.

10:00 am – 10:30am  Networking Break
10:30am – 11:00am Keynote Speaker – Cara Welch, Ph.D., Office of Dietary Supplement Programs, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US FDA

This presentation will discuss FDA’s current priorities for dietary supplements and address current challenges facing the agency in regulating the $50 billion dollar market. It is critical that FDA work with stakeholders in industry, academia, and government to achieve the primary goal of protecting public health and ensuring a safe and high-quality marketplace: where are the gaps in the current approach and what are the opportunities for advancing these goals.

11:05am – 11:50am Update on FDA Compliance Manual – Dietary Supplements – Josh Grauso, Operations Manager, UL
Industry preparedness related to the 2020 Publication of FDA’s Compliance Program Guidance Manual – Dietary Supplements: Foreign & Domestic Inspections, Sampling and Imports” (Program 732.1008)

  • How will FDA conduct inspections of domestic and foreign dietary supplement manufactures subject to 21CFR111 within mandated FSMA inspection frequencies and enforcement
  • How will FDA collect and analyze domestic and import samples to determine compliance with requirements of FD&CA
  • How will FDA enforce dietary supplement regulations for products that are not in compliance with FDA&CA including Corrective actions, verification and follow up inspections and investigations
  • How will FDA collect information to determine if dietary supplements are being labeled in accordance with applicable requirements
  • How will FDA collect compliance information for FDA to modify or develop enforcement strategies
12:00pm – 1:00pm Sponsored Lunch (main room)
1:00pm – 1:50pm Keynote Speaker: The Future of Supplement Science & Research –  Dr. Joseph Betz, Acting Director of the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Dr. Betz is leading the ODS forward through a number of key programs that are deeply rooted in the organizations mission and will provide a brief overview of the organizations most recent activities including:

  • Upcoming Strategic Planning
  • Updates on Key Programs
1:55pm – 2:40pm Cosmetic Regulation and Certification: Bridging the Gaps – Katherine Fillinger, Sr. Business Lead, Global Health Sciences Certification & Brandi Reinbold, Sr. Manager, Global Health Science Certification, NSF

This learning session will delve into key aspects of cosmetic regulation and certification, including the importance of GMP best practices, requirements for NSF/ANSI 455-3, top non-conformances and creating a culture of compliance.

2:40pm – 3:10pm Sponsored Networking Break
3:10pm – 4:25pm What the Hemp is up? – Moderator Neshat Soofi, President of JIT Experts Hive, GRMA Board Director & CBD Taskforce Chair

With the constantly evolving Hemp and Cannabis Industry what has the industry come together on?  What are the biggest questions still facing the industry with it comes to safety, pesticides, chain of custody, testing, regulatory, and marketing of products?  Hear from industry leaders on the status of the GRMA CBD taskforce as they discuss achievements, lessons learned, and look at the remaining challenges.

Panelists:

  • Adora Parker – Director of Quality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance Dollar Tree / Family Dollar & GRMA Governance Board Director
  • Jennifer Knaack – VP of Compliance & Science, Cheef Holdings
  • Brett Goldman – Partner, O’Can Group
  • Joe Lillis – Cannabis Quality, Safety and Risk Specialists, UL
  • David McPherson – Director Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance, The Kroger Co, Vitacost
  • Reed Doyle – Robertet USA
4:25pm-5:05pm  BeVeg Vegan Certification – Carissa Kranz, Esq, BeVeg Vegan Certification CEO

With strong demand and forecasted double digit growth for Vegan products around the globe in the upcoming years how well do you know your Vegan products and program?  BeVeg’s global trademark program is the only attorney drafted and accredited program in the industry and serves Dietary Supplements, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic products amongst other categories.  Learn about the program advantages and synergy with the GRMA’s certification program.

6:00 – 8:00pm Networking Reception & Dinner – Sheraton Hotel Location – Rosemont &/or Chicago Rooms
Friday, June 24, 2022 – Sheraton Hotel Location – Grand Ballroom
7:30 – 8:45am Breakfast
8:00 – 8:30am Member Services Break Out (Sheraton Hotel Location – O’Hare Room) – Allyn Shultis, GRMA Executive Director

Are you maximizing your membership? Do you have questions for the GRMA? Are there topics or areas of harmonization that you’d like to see addressed? Committees or working groups that should be form?  This session is for you.

8:45 – 9:25am Designing a Meaningful Testing Program for Dietary Supplements – Jeff Stassi, Sr. Analytical Services Manager, Eurofins

Dietary supplement manufacturer and brand owners have an ever-critical responsibility to ensure that the finished products entering the market are high quality and safe for consumption. More and more products are entering the market and the increase in the demand for these products are high. With a low barrier to entry and no up-front safety data needed to sell products through multiple retail and online channels creates a safety risk to the consumer. To establish consumer confidence and to do things the right way, it is up to the brand owners to have a rugged and comprehensive quality testing program throughout the life cycle of the manufacturing process and reduce the risk of possible contamination. This presentation will focus on some key aspects to designing a comprehensive analytical testing program to ensure the safety and quality of their products entering the market.

9:30 – 10:45am Featured Panel – Harmonizing Retailer Product Integrity Standards – Moderator Rishi Banerjee

With regulatory action on product claims, compliance findings, and more being an evolving expectation within the health and wellness category, what pressures are being placed on retailers, brands, and manufacturers when it comes to product claims and integrity?

This panel will feature members of the Dietary Supplement Product Integrity Committee (DSPIC) as they discuss:

  • Incorporation of AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirements into the committee’s harmonization goals and objectives.
  • Definition of Product Integrity
  • Upcoming challenges & desired state

Panelists Include:

  • Jeff Brams – Chief Innovation Officer, Garden of Life & GRMA Governance Board Director
  • David McPherson – Director Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance, The Kroger Co, Vitacost
  • Mohamad Koroma – Director of R&D, Pharmavite
  • Duffy MacKay – Sr. VP of Dietary Supplements, CHPA
  • Petra Erlandson – Director Sales & Marketing, Alkemist Labs
10:45am – 11:10am Sponsored Networking Break
11:10am – 11:35am GRMA Summit Wrap-up  

See who is honored for their contributions to the GRMA over the past year