KGK Science announced the appointment of its President and CEO, Najla Guthrie, to the Board of Directors for Natural Products Canada (NPC). As a leader in the field of nutritional science, Guthrie has over 23 years of experience advocating for the natural health products industry, specifically for the responsible change to the way health claims are marketed and the need for regulated scientifically-backed claim substantiation. Her goal in joining the NPC Board is to assist in initiatives that will help move the natural health products industry forward, especially in the area of cannabis.
“For me as a scientist, it’s been a long time since I’ve been really excited about a class of products such as cannabinoids—naturally occurring compounds found in cannabis often referred to as CBDs—and the potential they hold for transforming the natural health product industry,” says Guthrie. “There’s an opportunity to study combinations with natural health products and develop a vast number of new offerings that can have a huge impact.”
Natural health products began growing as an industry in the 1990s and, today, is worth approximately $20-billion in Canada and $40-billion in the U.S. Guthrie and the team at KGK Science see similarities between the history of growth in natural health products and the cannabis industry, in the scope of opportunities for health benefits and the need for a regulatory framework backed by science.
“Cannabis is an industry being driven by consumers who are very interested in what’s being offered to manage ailments such as anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. This is a chance for us to learn from the mistakes we made in the past on the natural products side and avoid some of the pitfalls.”
KGK Science is one of the first contract research organizations to be licensed by Health Canada to administer cannabis for the purpose of human clinical trials. Guthrie is looking forward to adding significant value to the NPC Board through her continued experience in the field of cannabis research combined with her team’s extensive background in regulatory affairs for the natural health product industry.
Contact: Lauren Redman, Director of Marketing | (519) 438-9374 x 254 | lredman@kgkscience.com
About KGK Science Inc.
KGK Science is a premium contract research organization (CRO) offering high-quality clinical research trials and expert regulatory support for the nutraceutical, cannabis and hemp industries. For over 22 years, KGK has successfully helped hundreds of companies with custom-designed clinical trials and claim substantiation strategies that move products efficiently into global markets. Equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, novel research techniques, and a seasoned team of industry experts, KGK Science remains at the forefront of its industry, consolidating scientific, clinical, commercial, and regulatory expertise with innovation and agility to serve the expanding needs of global business and consumers.