The American Chiropractor (TAC) interviews Charles C. DuBois, President of Standard Process, Inc., about his company’s efforts to “give back” to the chiropractic profession.
TAC: Tell us a little bit about the history of your company.
DuBois: For more than 75 years, Standard Process has provided health care professionals with the best whole food supplements and herbal products for themselves and their patients. We began with a whole food multivitamin, Catalyn®, and now offer health care professionals three lines of high-quality products: Standard Process whole food supplements, Standard Process Veterinary Formulas™, and MediHerb® herbal products. We are very proud to carry on the tradition that our founder, Dr. Royal Lee, started in 1929. Standard Process is a family-owned and operated business which is and always will be dedicated to growing high-quality ingredients on our certified organic farmland, so that healthcare professionals and their patients will receive the best in whole food nutrition for years to come.
TAC: How are you giving back to the chiropractic profession?
DuBois: Chiropractors share the same commitment to healing the whole person as Standard Process does. Chiropractic and nutritional supplementation are great ancillary modalities that, when combined, have powerful synergy. Chiropractors were one of the first groups of health care professionals who embraced Dr. Lee’s whole food philosophy and utilized the company’s products in their practices. Because of this, we are extremely dedicated to this profession. Since our founding, Standard Process has provided chiropractors with the tools they need to provide better care to their patients, including educational seminars and patient-education materials. We work with colleges and leaders in the profession, in areas such as research, regulation, and education, to determine how we can continue to support this profession which shares our same beliefs.
TAC: Being an insider on the “vendor” side of the profession, what advice do you have for our readers to help them make the best buying decisions regarding supplements?
DuBois: There are a number of factors to consider in determining which nutritional supplements to use in practice, including the company’s history and reputation, support of the profession, and quality of products and ingredients. Since a health care professional’s reputation is on the line when they recommend a brand of products to their patients, it is very important to first determine if the company is reputable, is known for service and support of practitioners, and provides quality education and guidance on the use of the products. One way to evaluate this is to determine how many years the manufacturer has been in the industry and if they are committed to selling only through health care professionals.
In regard to the products themselves, quality and efficacy are the most important criteria. Take time to visit the manufacturing facility to see first hand how their supplements are made. The manufacturer should be able to account for the product throughout the entire manufacturing process, especially with repeat quality control testing. Starting with good quality raw materials and utilizing processes that keep those ingredients intact throughout the processing is essential. The type and source of ingredients should also be evaluated. Ingredients as they are found in nature provide the whole food complex, not a fraction of the nutrients. Because of this, whole food ingredients offer enhanced nutritional support as bioactivity is markedly enhanced. It is also important to note the source of the ingredients. We believe organically grown whole food ingredients provide a greater benefit than those that are conventionally grown.
We work with colleges and leaders in the profession, in areas such as research, regulation, and education, to determine how we can continue to support this profession which shares our same beliefs.
TAC: What are the company’s plans for the future?
DuBois: Standard Process has been and will always be committed to the chiropractic profession. We plan on continuing to work with chiropractic colleges in the areas of research and regulatory legislation. We will also continue to offer the profession innovative products that address patient needs and educational tools that help patients understand the benefits of whole food nutrition. By providing these tools, we hope more people will turn to chiropractors for nutritional supplements. We will always hold chiropractic in the highest regard and serve the chiropractic profession first.
TAC: Any closing remarks or advice for our readers?
DuBois: I would just like to take this opportunity to thank chiropractors for having a deep passion for nutrition. With Americans continuing to eat a diet that consists of highly processed, nutrient-void food, diseases are on the rise and nutritional supplementation is important now more than ever. As chiropractors, you understand that food is our medicine. The body knows how to process and absorb vitamins and minerals found in food versus those found in non-food sources. Together, we will help Americans take control of their health by teaching them to feed their bodies what it knows—food, as it is found in nature.
Charles DuBois has held various positions since starting his career at Standard Process in 1983, including hand-weeding the beet fields on the Standard Process Farm, plant engineer, and executive vice president. He became president in 1995. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, and a Master of Science degree in engineering management from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. DuBois is honored to be the leader of a third-generation family business that is committed to carrying on Dr. Royal Lee’s philosophy so that health care professionals and their patients will continue to receive the best in whole food nutrition. For more information call 800-848-5061, or visit www.standardprocess.com.