Announced this week, FederSalus says the partnership is, ‘a natural and necessary step to accelerate the change in the approach to people's health, which promises an active rather than reactive attitude.’
The Association adds it recognises the role of primary prevention and the nutraceutical sector that is increasingly being recognised as key to maintaining individual well-being.
“FederSalus and the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation are perfectly aware of the strong potential of the nutraceutical , probiotic and other sectors,” the association says, “and the contribution that products such as food supplements can make to drive this transformation.”
The agreement is the latest in a series of similar partnerships, in which FederSalus are looking to raise the standard of food supplement research and its communication, particularly against the pandemic backdrop.
Recently, FederSalus has highlighted the coronavirus as a factor in consumers including food supplements as a core shopping item, as the science suggests a protective role in health and wellbeing.
Supplement uptake in 2020
According to the association’s survey, results comparing the first quarter 2020 vs. 2019, saw the value of online pharmacies jump 64% to €82m with dietary supplements representing half of this total value.
Further results of some of the main supplement categories in the first quarter of 2020 vs. 2019 found purchases for vitamin C jumped 237.8%, immunostimulants by 64.5% and supplements for sleep and relaxation by 26.6%.
This is despite local and online pharmacies making up 3.7% as a channel in which consumers can access food supplements during the lockdown.
Equally, the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation, an independent and non-profit foundation active in translational medicine and prevention, is also working to the same goals as consumers look for accurate interpretations of the latest COVID-19 and other research topics.
“The Lorenzini Foundation puts its skills and scientific activity at the service of FederSalus member companies to design the design and development of research protocols that help validate the use of substances used in food supplements and strengthen the credibility of the entire sector,” the joint statement adds.
NFI agreement
In April this year, FederSalus joined with researchers from the Nutrition Foundation of Italy (NFI) to make the latest research into food supplements more readily available.
The partnership aims to put science and research at the forefront of efforts, with the association highlighting the €3.8bn Italian supplements sector – a 27% share of the European market.
“Italians are the main consumers of supplements in Europe,” said FederSalus earlier this year. “It is therefore essential to update individuals with the progress of research with the correct interpretation and communication.
“In 2018 there were 26 million medical prescriptions for food supplements and the pharmacy was the first purchasing channel.
“For this reason the doctor and pharmacist are the main recipients of scientific study as reference figures for the consumption of food supplements, considered functional for good health.”
Commenting on the latest partnership with the Foundation, FederSalus adds, “thanks to the strong network of relationships between industry, consumers and institutions, which FederSalus has built over the years, and to the scientific method adopted by the Giovanni Lorenzini Foundation, the parties intend to collaborate in order to carry out clinical studies and disseminate the results that can document food supplement effectiveness, their safety and role in preventing and maintaining good health.”