HerbalEGram: Volume 5, Number 2, February 2008

A new award has been created by the newly-formed Ramazanov Award Foundation. This nonprofit was created to honor the memory and contributions of the late Zakir Ramazanov, PhD, who his colleagues believe greatly advanced the dietary supplement industry through contributions such as the introduction of Rhodiola rosea.¹ A tribute article to him appears in HerbalGram 74.²

“The ultimate goal of the Foundation is to develop a network of industry professionalism that demonstrate that the rigorous practice of scientific integrity can and should be an essential part of success in the natural product marketplace,” said Leonid Ber, MD, the president of the Foundation, in a recent press release.¹ “We dedicate this initiative to be in the service of a larger and growing movement among industry stakeholders who are rightfully concerned about the industry credibility as a whole and who are determined to protect it and expand it.”

Those eligible for the award include industry members who, according to the Foundation’s Web site, “exhibit an unbiased scientific approach to addressing the marketing ‘hysteria’ and ‘sensationalism’ often found in the dietary supplement and natural products industry,” and strive to “add credibility and professionalism to the industry as a whole, moving it into the future with sound review, research and/or constructive criticisms making it a successful and rewarding field.”

Those who are able to make nominations include industry members, organizations, companies, academia, and media professionals.³ Nominations and donations for this award may be made by visiting http://www.ramazanovaward.org/.

The deadline for nominations is February 22, 2008.¹ The award recipient will be announced at the SupplySide East International Tradeshow and Conference, April 28-30, in Secaucus, New Jersey.

—Kelly E. Saxton

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