The independent standard · Consumer health & pet brands

Prove your product is what it says it is.

The Scientific Institute independently reviews your ingredients, label, and marketing claims. Products that pass earn an Independently Reviewed badge customers can check. Category-appropriate laboratory verification is available through accredited partners when needed.

Apply for review Why independent review matters
Accredited third-party labs Published pass / fail methodology The fee pays for the review, never the result
THE SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE INDEPENDENT · LAB-BACKED REVIEWED & VERIFIED SAMPLE BADGE VERIFY ONLINE 2026
Why independent review matters

Give customers evidence they can check

Independent review can reduce uncertainty around unfamiliar products and claims. Research on third-party trust marks suggests that credible verification can support purchase confidence, particularly for smaller and newer brands.

Checkable

Every issued badge links to a public record showing the scope and date of review.

Scientific Institute verification model
Independent

The fee pays for review work and never guarantees a passing outcome.

Published review methodology
Specific

The verification record states what was reviewed, so customers can assess the evidence for themselves.

Scope shown on every issued record
Evidence-backed

Peer-reviewed research has found that third-party assurance seals can improve purchase confidence, with effects varying by context.

Özpolat et al., INFORMS

Research is summarized on our methodology page. Results vary by product, audience, badge placement, and brand recognition. We do not promise a specific conversion or revenue result.

The problem

Your customers are skeptical. They should be.

Every product page says "clinically proven" and "premium ingredients." Shoppers have learned that words are free, and regulators have noticed too.

Claims are wallpaper

"Science-backed", "vet-approved", "dermatologist-tested" appear on everything, including products that have never been near a lab. Self-issued claims no longer move buyers.

Scrutiny is rising

Regulators and class-action firms actively pursue unsubstantiated health and cosmetic claims, and marketplaces delist products over labeling problems. An unreviewed claim is a liability, not an asset.

Trust is the bottleneck

When formulation and price are similar, the brand that can show independent proof wins the click, the retail meeting, and the repeat purchase. Proof is the differentiator words can't fake.

How it works

From application to badge in four steps

You never pay us for an outcome. You pay for a rigorous review; the badge exists only if your product earns it.

Apply

Tell us about your product, its label, and the claims you make. We scope the right review for your category and send a fixed quote. No obligation.

Review

Scientific desk review of your full ingredient panel, label, and every marketing claim against published evidence. Where the category calls for it, samples go to accredited third-party partner labs for identity, potency, and contaminant testing.

Verdict

You receive a written report. Pass: you earn the badge and a public verification page. Miss: you get a precise remediation list, privately, with one re-review included. Failed reviews are never published.

Stay verified

The badge is licensed for 12 months and re-verified annually. Every badge links to a live verification page, and we revoke badges when products change or standards slip.

What we review

Built for consumer health and pet brands

OTC and DTC products where the label makes a promise a customer can't check for themselves.

Supplements & vitamins

  • Ingredient identity & potency vs. label
  • Contaminant panel (heavy metals, micro)
  • Claim substantiation vs. published evidence
  • Label & disclaimer compliance check

Cosmetics & skincare

  • INCI list review & actives verification
  • Marketing claims vs. evidence
  • "Free-from" claims verified
  • Safety & irritancy literature review

OTC & personal care

  • Active ingredients vs. monograph
  • Dosage & directions review
  • Claim substantiation
  • Label compliance check

Pet food & treats

  • Ingredient & guaranteed analysis verification
  • Contaminant testing
  • AAFCO-style label review
  • Health claims vs. evidence

Pet care & equipment

  • Materials & safety claims verified
  • Durability & fitness-for-purpose review
  • Marketing claims vs. evidence

Something adjacent?

  • Baby care, oral care, topicals, wellness devices
  • If the label makes a checkable promise, apply and we'll scope it
THE SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE INDEPENDENT · LAB-BACKED REVIEWED & VERIFIED SAMPLE BADGE VERIFY ONLINE 2026
The badge

A checkable seal built for skeptical customers

  • It works where buying decisions happen. Product pages, packaging, marketplace listings, ads, and retail decks can link directly to the scope of the independent review.
  • Every badge is checkable. Each seal carries a serial number and links to a live public verification page showing what was reviewed, what was tested, and when. That is what makes it credible instead of decorative.
  • It can be lost. Badges are revoked if the formulation changes, the license lapses, or claims drift beyond what was reviewed. That's exactly why customers believe it.
  • No pay-for-pass. Your fee buys review work and any separately scoped laboratory work, never the verdict. Products that miss get a private remediation report, not a badge.
Pricing

Start focused, then choose the depth you need

Our core Label & Claims Review has a fixed price. Laboratory verification is scoped and quoted case by case because methods and test panels vary by product.

Claim Snapshot

$149
one priority claim
  • Focused review of one customer-facing claim
  • Product label and public evidence checked
  • Concise written risk summary
  • Clear next-step recommendation
  • No badge, verdict, or public verification page
Start with a snapshot
Most popular

Label & Claims Review

$490
per product
  • Scientific desk review of ingredients & full label
  • Every marketing claim checked against published evidence
  • Written report with pass / remediate verdict
  • "Independently Reviewed" badge on pass
  • Public verification page · 12-month license
Apply for review

Custom Lab Verification

Custom
quoted case by case
  • Everything in Label & Claims Review
  • Category-appropriate testing through accredited third-party partners
  • Methods and test panel scoped to the product
  • "Reviewed & Verified" badge on pass
  • Public verification page with lab summary · 12-month license
Request a scope

Claim Snapshot is diagnostic and does not issue a badge. For full reviews, a miss stays private and you keep the report and remediation list. The fee is the same whether you pass or miss because it pays for the work, not the outcome.

FAQ

Questions brands ask us

Will the badge actually lift my conversion?
Independent verification can reduce uncertainty for customers, particularly when a brand is not yet widely known. Results vary by product, audience, and placement, so we do not promise a specific conversion lift. See the evidence and its limits on our methodology page.
Is this FDA approval?
No, and we're explicit about that. The Scientific Institute is an independent private review body. Our badge means your product passed the scope shown on its public verification page. It is not a government approval and doesn't replace your own regulatory obligations (for example, the standard FDA disclaimer on supplement claims still applies).
What happens if my product doesn't pass?
You receive the report privately, with a precise list of what missed and why: a claim that overreaches the evidence, a potency shortfall, or a labeling gap. Nothing is published. You can fix the issues and apply for re-review.
Can a brand pay you to pass?
No. The fee is the same whether you pass or miss; it pays for review work and any separately scoped laboratory work. We hold no equity in reviewed brands, take no affiliate commissions on reviewed products, and revoke badges when standards slip. The badge is only worth displaying because it can't be bought.
Who does the lab testing?
Accredited third-party partner laboratories, selected per category and test panel. Your report names the laboratory and methods used. We don't operate our own lab, by design: it keeps the testing independent of the reviewer.
What does the badge license let me do?
Display the badge on your product page, packaging, marketplace listings, ads, email, and retail materials for the licensed product, for 12 months. The badge must link (or point via QR) to your live verification page, which is what makes it credible to skeptical customers.
How long does a review take?
Label & Claims Review typically completes within two weeks of receiving your materials. Custom lab verification timelines depend on the product, methods, test panel, and laboratory schedule and are confirmed in your quote.
Do you really cover pet products?
Yes. Pet food and treats get ingredient and guaranteed-analysis verification, contaminant testing, and an AAFCO-style label review. Pet care products and equipment get materials and safety-claim verification. Pet parents read labels as carefully as anyone, and almost nobody offers them independent proof.
Apply for review

Turn your best claim into proof

Tell us about your product. We'll reply within two business days with a scoped review plan and a fixed quote. Applying is free and creates no obligation.

Brands that pass get a badge their customers can verify, a public listing on our registry, and the trust signal that independent research shows moves buyers.

We'll only use your details to respond to this application. No newsletter, no drip campaign.

Application received

We'll review your product and reply within two business days with a scoped plan and fixed quote.