With the goal of enabling more clinical evidence on dietary supplements, a soon-to-be-launched health and wellness marketplace, Love, has formed a partnership with Radicle Science, which has developed a unique Proof-as-a-Service clinical trial approach for non-pharmaceuticals.

The collective goal is to catalyze evidence generation for more supplements, helping consumers choose products proven effective by randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.

Most supplements have not undergone this type of gold-standard research because traditional clinical trials are expensive and slow, typically afforded only by patented pharmaceuticals. This leaves a knowledge gap for consumers about understanding a product’s benefits.

Radicle Science is on a mission to democratize access to clinical evidence generation and is conducting large clinical trials on supplements. Its crowdsourced, virtual, AI-driven, standardized studies conduct research at unprecedented scale, cost, speed—and importantly, with diversity, according to the company.

In line with Love’s mission to build trust, online and offline, for healing and connection, Love.com is subsidizing the cost of Radicle Science’s clinical trials for brands in its marketplace. The partnership will enable brands to demonstrate their true effectiveness beyond placebo.

Committing to Trust, Transparency 

“This is an extraordinary opportunity for a retailer to commit to trust, transparency and their customers’ true wellbeing,” said Dr. Jeff Chen, co-founder and CEO of Radicle Science. “For the first time in history, a retailer is supporting—and rewarding—products in their marketplace with proof generation, giving consumers real evidence.”

Love’s Founder and CEO Ryan Breslow previously founded the checkout payments startup Bolt, which aimed to “democratize commerce.” He also founded the cryptocurrency platform Eco.

“This unprecedented and unique partnership signals an important step for the Love.com community who want to trust the products they purchase from our site are indeed the most effective options,” said Breslow. “As a trusted marketplace, we are committed to helping the consumer optimize their health.”

Love Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kevin Horgan added, “To fulfill Love.com’s mission, the company will subsidize the cost of clinical trials with Radicle Science to help generate this much needed clinical evidence and highlight those products with proven benefit.”

This partnership comes just as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released historic “Health Products Compliance Guidance” in December 2022, the agency’s first publication in nearly a quarter century on health claims. The FTC expects “companies to support any health-related claims with high-quality, randomized, controlled human clinical trials.” 

“Radicle’s mission is to leverage clinical evidence to transform supplements into personalized, proven medicines accessible for all. Given our deep mission alignment with Love, we are excited about our unique partnership designed to power better health decision making for future generations,” added Pelin Thorogood, Radicle Science co-founder and executive chair.