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GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practices. A GMP facility is subject to the statutes and regulations of the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which include the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). These practices include quality control, diagnostics and outline the aspects of production and testing that impact the quality of a product. Most countries, including the USA, legislate that nutraceutical (dietary supplements) and pharmaceutical companies must follow cGMP.
These practices help ensure the identity, strength, quality, purity and stability of a product as well as ensure that the ingredients listed on the label are in fact included in the exact dosages claimed. Microbiological evaluations are also conducted throughout the process, including quality specifications and raw material specification documentation to confirm that things such as the pH and assay are within acceptable limits.
When choosing a nutraceutical, for example, vitamins and dietary supplements, it is important to confirm that the company uses cGMP. Reputable companies will have this information available over the phone or on their website. If they don’t, beware!