The Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA) and the American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) have reached an agreement of cooperation to establish terms and conditions under which the groups will work cooperatively to develop and advance harmonized quality initiatives within health and wellness markets like dietary supplements, botanicals, colors and cosmetics, and drugs.

The organizations have agreed to participate in multiple strategic areas, including task forces, committees, and working groups.

“Our relationship started through a shared goal of advancing dietary supplement product integrity,” said GRMA Executive Director Allyn Shultis. “We are excited to formalize our relationship with this MOU and recognize the ACIL Dietary Supplement Laboratory Practices by including it in the GRMA’s Dietary Supplement Product Integrity Program.

GRMA includes several major retailer and manufacturer members, Shultis added, “and are excited to both expand and include scientific voices from ACIL and their independent labs members. Together we can advance practices, methods, and maintain scientific rigor needed to address the challenges we face today.”

ACIL is a non-profit trade association representing independent, commercial scientific, and testing laboratories. CEO Richard Bright added: “These kinds of alliances are extremely important to us, as well as to the industry we both serve. Collaboration is the key to getting things accomplished and we look forward to combining efforts over the course of the next few years.”