Woonsocket, RI--CVS Pharmacy announced its new "Tested to Be Trusted" program, which will require third-party testing of all vitamins and supplements sold in-store and online to confirm the accuracy of the ingredients listed on the supplement facts panel, as well as to confirm products are free from certain additives and ingredients.

According to apress release,testing has already been conducted on 1,400 vitamins and supplements from 152 brands across 11 categories, including diet and nutrition, pain and digestive health. CVS Pharmacy reported that 7% of products failed, resulting in either an update to the supplement facts panel or removal of the product from store shelves.

"CVS Pharmacy's requirement of third-party testing of all vitamins and supplements uniquely positions us as a trusted retailer and health partner where consumers can shop for proactive wellness solutions with confidence," saidKevin Hourican, president of CVS Pharmacy and executive vice president of CVS Health. "We are seeing more customers focus on self-care as part of their overall health, and CVS is committed to providing access to new products and categories to empower people to practice self-care in their daily lives, especially since self-care varies based on an individual's needs."

The "Tested to be Trusted" program, according to the release, requires all products with a supplement panel a to be certified either by NSF International, a global public health testing, inspection and certification organization; or verified by USP (The United States Pharmacopeia, a nonprofit organization that publishes an annual compendium of drug information); or to participate in CVS Pharmacy's required third party testing program conducted through NSF or Eurofins, a laboratory specializing in food, pharma and environmental testing. This includes:
  • Dietary Ingredient review and testing to verify that the ingredients on the supplement facts panel are in the product in the amount stated.
  • Contaminant review testing (microbiological, analytical, etc.) to verify there are no harmful levels of certain specified contaminants in the product. (Find complete details  at www.cvs.com/content/tested-trusted.)
The release also discussed the pharmacy's new self-care campaign, which features advertising focused on the "Tested to be Trusted" program and the decisions CVS Pharmacy has made with the health of consumers in mind, including:
  • The removal of tobacco from its stores in 2014;
  • The removal of SPF less than 15 from shelves;
  • The reformulation of nearly 600 store brand beauty and personal care products to remove parabens, phthalates and formaldehyde donors.
  • The CVS Beauty Mark initiative, which involves a commitment to lead positive change around transparency in beauty in order to educate customers on the difference between authentic and digitally altered imagery.