Validated Claim Support Ethics and Code of Conduct
Validated Claim Support is a company that was founded on ethical and transparent clinical services, and we seek out employees and vendors who agree with, share in, and put into practice a similar level of conduct in their daily lives. Our main ethical guidelines focus on the following areas:
-
Onsite Safety
-
Data Protection
-
Transparency
-
Compliance: Legal and Regulatory
-
Human Rights
-
Environmental Considerations
We pride ourselves on our Integrity, Respect, Courage, and Transparency and these qualities are amongst the most important attributes for all Validated Claim Support personnel. All Validated Claim Support team members are reminded that they can speak up if they see something they believe may cross ethical, legal, or civil boundaries – the sooner that management is informed the better. People can make mistakes. It’s how they are responded to that differentiates a highly ethical party from something else entirely.
Validated Claim Support’s employees and contracted workers are required to sign this agreement, noting that they will put into practice any of the outlined procedures that are relevant to their specific job roles.
Vendors of Validated Claim Support are required to acknowledge that they have read through these guidelines and that they will, wherever possible, strive to ensure that they act with a reasonable standard of care and do not attempt to impede Validated Claim Support’s fulfillment of its ethical guidelines as described in this document.
Onsite Safety:
General Practices: Validated Claim Support provides all our Employees, Contracted Workers, and study participants a safe, clean, and hygienic workplace and takes a wide range of steps in order to prevent accidents and injury. Multiple policies and procedures are in place to manage, assess, and respond to workplace risks and our Management Team is dedicated to ensuring the safety and health of all people present in our premises and in the surrounding area. We also take great care to ensure that our study participants are safe in the long run, and we routinely follow-up with our subjects to ensure they are comfortable in their continuous participation in research.
Comfort and Respect Validated Claim Support strives to ensure that panelists feel comfortable, welcome, and safe throughout all their experiences both onsite and off-site as they pertain to study activities and their interactions with our staff. At all times Validated Claim Support staff members must respect the privacy and feelings of participants. Validated Claim Support personnel will go above and beyond posted HIPAA guidelines, ensuring that they act as model citizens as it pertains to respecting the feelings, demographics, and lifestyle choices of study participants
Building and Equipment Risk: Risks related to buildings and the use of equipment including the general operating capabilities of buildings, use of Heavy Equipment, and injuries that can be caused by the interface between employees and machines are limited in our specific work environment but will be addressed prior to any engagements. Risks related to energy sources, materials and raw materials including exposure to sources of energy, fluids and dangerous emissions such as electricity, pressure, fluids, steam, hot water, high temperature, fires resulting from flammable products and materials or electrical installations, exposure of people to dusts and dangerous chemicals by inhalation, ingestion or skin contact and exposure of people to a high noise level, along with risks related to people's activity including entry into confined spaces and / or risks of anoxia, isolation, slips and falls, ergonomics of workstations, construction work and work at height are all considered and managed.
Emergency Evacuations Validated Claim Support ensures that employees and visitors are informed of and understand emergency evacuation procedures that safe evacuation routes are accessible via posted signs throughout the site.
Medical Emergencies In the event of an emergency or an adverse event, Validated Claim Support personnel may be required to call 911 and report a medical emergency. In all interactions Validated Claim Support personnel agree they will be patient, courteous, and respectful as well as compliant with the requirements of any third parties they may need to interact with to fulfill their duties as good Samaritans.
Data Protection:
General Procedures Validated Claim Support deploys a multitude of electronic systems and policies that pertain to electronic data protection. All staff members are routinely trained in the different types of confidential information that are handled at Validated Claim Support. All User Access is handled with permission based “Access of Least Required Privilege” settings.
Breach Prevention and Monitoring/Notification In the event of a breach, all Validated Claim Support staff members are trained in breach reporting policies and reminded that it is okay to make mistakes, as long as all of the stakeholders are notified in a timely fashion (ASAP). Validated Claim Support personnel must report breaches or suspected breaches to their managers, IT staff, and the Managing Director immediately, with no exceptions.
Continuous Training All Staff members are continuously trained in data handling, breach prevention, HIPAA guidelines, Phishing, and Social Engineering tactics on a continuous basis.
Highest Reasonable Guideline Validated Claim Support follows HIPAA, GCP, GMP, NIST, and industry facing best practices and regulatory guidelines as they pertain to data protection, and generally takes the most demanding guideline when multiple exist regarding the same topic.
Transparency
Remediation Timelines In the event of a breach or an incident where ethics are in question, it is the employees’ direct responsibility to notify their manager and the Managing Director as soon as it is safe to do so.
Staff Empowerment and Discourse It is always imperative that staff and contract workers keep a watchful eye. If you see something, say something. You will never be disciplined for notifying management of a breach, an issue, or unethical behavior. The faster we know about an issue the sooner we can begin to rectify and respond to the situation at hand. If you are privy to an issue and you do not report it, you may be subject to disciplinary action.
Compliance: Legal and Regulatory
General Practices and Fraud Prevention: Validated Claim Support takes a multitude of measures to ensure it conducts its activities in compliance with all laws and regulations relating to anti-trust, data privacy and international economic sanctions. In many cases Validated Claim Support policies exceed local regulatory requirements.
Business Integrity Compliance with Anti-Trust, data privacy, and international laws is ensured at all times. Anti-bribery and corruption measures are in place, with strict prohibitions against money laundering or embezzlement. Transparency and disclosure of potential conflicts of interest with sponsors must be made apparent ASAP for all staff and vendors.
Registrations, Audits, and Attestations Validated Claim Support is an FDA Registered and Inspected Laboratory. We invite third parties to participate in site visits and audits of our processes, and we strive wherever possible to be open and transparent about how we handle individual processes and roles. We also follow HIPAA and International Data Protection (GDPR) standards when possible.
Human Rights
Prevention of Child Labor Validated Claim Support prohibits employing workers under the legal minimum hiring age (18) and takes all necessary measures to ensure this policy is respected including mandatory age checks upon hiring. In the unlikely case that child labor is uncovered, Validated Claim Support would take immediate remedial action to rectify the situation.
Prevention of Forced/Bonded Labor (Including Modern Slavery) Validated Claim Support does not coerce or compel employees to work by the use of threat of force. Under no circumstances does the company or its personnel retain employees’ passports. Unless legally obliged, Validated Claim Support does not retain employees’ personal documents.
General Employee Rights Validated Claim Support supports the right of employees to freely leave employment, subject to their notice period. If letters of release or other documents are needed for the employee to leave employment, such letters are issued without delay. Validated Claim Support does not require payment or any monetary deposits from employees as a condition of employment. Validated Claim Support covers the cost of employment eligibility fees, including recruitment fees, and any required work visas, for all employees, including migrant workers. Any security personnel onsite are there solely to ensure the safety of employees and assets and they are namely not involved in disciplining employees. Background checks of personnel are conducted to ensure they have not been involved in human rights violations and to ensure they are trained on the proper use of force
Working Conditions Employees are free to move about their workplace (except in areas restricted for safety or confidentiality reasons), can use the toilet at any time, can take breaks, and have access to safe drinking water and, if necessary, to cooling areas.
Fair and legal disciplinary practices are implemented. Policies against sexual, verbal, physical, and psychological harassment are in place. Continuous training in these areas is enacted. Legal wages, overtime rates, benefits, and working hours limitations are strictly adhered to. Terms of employment are communicated to all staff members and pay deductions for no-legal reasons are prohibited.
Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining Validated Claim Support respects employee’s freedom of association and collective bargaining rights.
Prison Labor Validated Claim Support has no connection or recourse to Prison Labor.
Non-Discrimination Validated Claim Support upholds non-discrimination policies across hiring, remuneration, training, promotion, termination, and retirement. Decisions in these areas are made irrespective of skin color, gender, disability, family situation, or other personal factors. Pre-hire pregnancy or HIV tests are not performed.
Animal Welfare Validated Claim Support strictly does not test on animals. Products or raw materials involving animal testing are avoided when alternative methods are available.
Environmental Considerations and Sample Handling
General Practices Validated Claim Support takes steps to ensure that samples are disposed of in a safe, legal, and ethical manner. Wherever possible, Validated Claim Support reverts to digital documentation and signatures to avoid wasted paper and resources. Measures are enacted to minimize waste and unnecessary pollution throughout the testing process.
- We reuse and recycle all relevant materials wherever possible.
- We employ management systems and procedures specifically designed to minimize the use of hazardous materials, energy, and other natural resources and to minimize the generation of waste.
- We have installed LED, low voltage high-efficiency lighting throughout the lab site.
- Third-party environmentally friendly Sample Disposal utilized
- We’ll continuously seek opportunities to improve our environmental performance by establishing targets and objectives, measuring progress, & reporting our results; including but not limited to paper, water, energy, and fuel consumption.
- Our QMS and study documentation system is all digital, so physical printing is reduced by thousands of pages per week in comparison to competitors.
- All waste is collected daily from the site via building management.
- We communicate our commitment to responsible environmental management to staff members and contractors, and we will implement the necessary training and support to help them achieve these practices.
- We can implement secondary controls and procedures at the sponsor’s discretion.
We encourage our vendors and suppliers to adopt relevant environmental policy.
Sample Handling and Disposal: The chain of custody regarding sample handling is a key component of clinical research. All samples at Validated Claim Support are logged in a secure room with limited keypad access control. Samples are documented, labeled, blinded (if requested), and logged in the Sample Handling room prior to distribution to respective lab departments. The sample handling department has its own temperature and humidity control that follows Pharmacopeial standard practices for non-hazardous sample storage and retention.
Validated Claim Support utilizes a third-party professional non-hazardous waste disposal service, and samples are clearly marked and labeled for destruction while stored onsite. Receipt of Disposal/Destruction is available on request upon completion, and Validated Claim Support is committed to ensuring that samples are disposed of in an environmentally friendly fashion.
Product Safety Testing and Indemnification: Validated Claim Support requires clients to sign off that they have conducted and shall conduct all relevant and required safety testing, including, but not limited to, HRIPT, patch testing, toxicology testing, preservative efficacy testing, challenge testing, container and storage compatibility testing, and stability testing, to ensure that all Products are non-hazardous, bio-compatible, and non-irritating (“Product Safety Testing”). Upon Validated Claim Support’s request, the client shall provide certificates evidencing the performance and successful completion of Product Safety Testing.
Sample Storage: All controlled sample handling and retention areas are designed around International Pharmacopeial standards for temperature and humidity. Access is restricted with keypads and combinations are updated regularly to ensure security in isolation.
Sample Retention: Upon completion of a study, the minimum required amount of sample is retained by Validated Claim Support for a period based on local and federal laws. Products returned by panelists are stored separately and earmarked for disposal. If requested, samples can be returned to the sponsor OR they can be marked for standard Validated Claim Support Disposal.
Expert Clinical Grading
Trained graders score visible changeSupports claims like “Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles”
Learn more →Biomarkers and Microbiome
Tape strips, swabs and collectionsSupports claims like “Microbiome friendly” and “Won’t disrupt the skin’s natural microbiome”
Learn more →Biophysical Instrumentation
Hydration, TEWL, elasticity, colorSupports claims like “Hydrates by up to 87% in as little as one use”
Learn more →Peer-Reviewed Writing
Clinical and scientific publicationsScientifically validated study summaries for publication in peer-reviewed medical journals
Learn more →Before and After Photography
Controlled, reproducible clinical imagingSupports claims like “Up to a 44% reduction in redness in as little as 2 weeks”
Learn more →Consumer Perception
Panelist questionnaires and self-assessmentSupports claims such as “97% of women agreed their skin felt smoother and more supple”
Learn more →About Validated Claim Support
Validated Claim Support’s experienced clinical testing team has pooled their vast claim support knowledge in the skincare trials and cosmetic product efficacy space to develop a unique and highly personalized strategy. We provide a distinctive service category that is particularly hard to find: highly personalized efficient service and accountability at an affordable price.
Meet the Clinical ExpertsThe scientists and graders behind every studyLearn more →Quality Management in Claim SubstantiationHow we keep study data audit-readyLearn more →Data Protection and PrivacyHow we protect sponsor and panelist dataLearn more →Testing Laboratory PartnersPartner labs for tests outside our scopeLearn more →Clinical Testing Laboratory TourInside our Teaneck, NJ facilityLearn more →Sample Handling and Environmental PolicyHow we receive, store and track samplesLearn more →Commitment to Diversity in the WorkplaceHow we build a diverse team and panelLearn more →
Ethics & Code of ConductThe standards our team works byYou are here
Where to next
Keep exploring
Start a Conversation About Your Product Study
Tell us about your product, your intended claims, and your timeline. Our business development team will review your needs and follow up with a customized proposal, typically within one business day. There is no cost for the initial consultation or study design review.
FAQ
Ethics and Code of Conduct: frequently asked questions
What areas does the Validated Claim Support code of conduct cover?
Validated Claim Support's ethics and code of conduct focuses on onsite safety, data protection, transparency, legal and regulatory compliance, human rights and environmental considerations. VCS seeks out employees and vendors who share and practice a similar level of conduct.
Who has to follow the VCS code of conduct?
Validated Claim Support's employees and contracted workers are required to sign the agreement and put into practice the procedures relevant to their roles. Vendors must acknowledge that they have read the guidelines and will strive not to impede VCS's fulfillment of them.
What values does VCS expect from its team?
Validated Claim Support prides itself on integrity, respect, courage and transparency, which are among the most important attributes for all VCS personnel. Team members are reminded that they can speak up if they see something they believe may cross ethical, legal or civil boundaries.
Which data protection guidelines does VCS follow?
Validated Claim Support follows HIPAA, GCP, GMP, NIST and industry best practices for data protection, and generally applies the most demanding guideline when several exist on the same topic. All staff are trained continuously in data handling, breach prevention, HIPAA, phishing and social engineering.