Are CVS Brand Vitamins Third-Party Tested?

October 14, 2025 •

4 min read

Four out of five American adults report taking dietary supplements [1.7.1]. With so many choices, a key question for many is: Are CVS brand vitamins third-party tested? CVS has implemented a program to address this exact concern.

Quick Summary

CVS requires all supplements it sells, including its own store brands, to be third-party tested for ingredient accuracy and contaminants through its 'Tested to Be Trusted' program [1.2.6, 1.5.1].

Key Points

Mandatory Testing: CVS requires all vitamins and supplements it sells, including its own store brands, to undergo third-party testing [1.5.1].
'Tested to Be Trusted': This CVS program verifies that the ingredients on the label are accurate and that products are free of certain contaminants [1.3.4].
Major Certifiers: Products must be certified by USP, NSF, or an equivalent third-party lab to be sold at CVS [1.5.3].
FDA Oversight is Limited: The FDA regulates supplements like food, not drugs, and does not approve them for safety or efficacy before they are sold [1.7.3, 1.7.7].
Consumer Action: Shoppers should look for third-party seals like 'USP Verified' or 'NSF Certified' directly on product labels for the highest assurance [1.6.6].
Initial Failures: When the program began, 7% of tested products failed to meet standards, showing the necessity of such verification [1.2.6].
Store Brands vs. Name Brands: At CVS, both store brands and name brands must meet the same third-party testing requirement, leveling the playing field on quality assurance [1.5.1].

The Wild West of Wellness: Understanding Supplement Regulation

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates dietary supplements as a category of food, not drugs [1.7.3, 1.7.4]. Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), manufacturers are responsible for ensuring their products are safe and properly labeled before they go to market [1.7.3]. However, the FDA does not test or approve supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold [1.7.2, 1.7.7]. This regulatory gap places the burden of quality control largely on manufacturers, creating a marketplace with widely varying quality [1.4.4, 1.7.1]. This is where independent, third-party testing becomes a crucial tool for consumer confidence.

What is Third-Party Testing?

Third-party testing is a quality control process where an independent organization, with no affiliation to the supplement manufacturer, evaluates a product [1.6.7]. This unbiased review typically verifies several key factors [1.6.5]:

Identity: Does the product contain the ingredients listed on the label?
Potency: Are the ingredients present in the amounts claimed on the label?
Purity: Is the product free from harmful levels of contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, or microbes [1.5.2]?
Performance: Will the supplement dissolve properly in the body to allow for absorption [1.6.1]?

Prominent third-party certification organizations include U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSF International, and ConsumerLab.com [1.6.2]. Seeing a seal from one of these groups on a product label indicates it has voluntarily met a higher standard of quality [1.6.6].

CVS's Answer: The 'Tested to Be Trusted' Program

In response to consumer demand for transparency, CVS became the first national retailer to mandate third-party testing for all vitamins and supplements sold in its stores and online, including its own store brands (CVS Health, Radiance, etc.) [1.2.6, 1.5.1]. This initiative is called the "Tested to Be Trusted" program [1.5.1].

Under this program, every supplement manufacturer, including CVS for its own brands, must have their products verified [1.5.3]:

USP Verified
NSF Certified
Or, undergo equivalent testing through approved third-party labs like NSF or Eurofins [1.3.4].

The testing confirms that the ingredients on the supplement facts panel are accurate and that the product does not contain harmful levels of specified contaminants [1.3.4, 1.5.1]. When the program was first implemented, about 7% of the 1,400 products initially tested failed, leading to either label corrections or the product being removed from shelves entirely [1.2.6, 1.5.6].

How to Spot a Tested Product at CVS

CVS uses in-store signage and information on its website to highlight the "Tested to Be Trusted" program [1.5.7]. While CVS brand products fall under this requirement, consumers should still look for specific third-party seals on the packaging itself, such as the distinctive USP Verified or NSF Certified marks. These seals confirm that a specific product, not just the brand in general, has passed that organization's rigorous, voluntary certification process.

Supplement Quality Comparison

Consumers often weigh the value of store brands against name brands. Here’s how they generally stack up in the context of testing:


Feature	CVS Brand Vitamins	Other Store Brands (e.g., Walmart, Costco)	Name Brands (e.g., Nature Made)
Third-Party Testing	Required by CVS's "Tested to Be Trusted" program [1.5.1].	Varies by retailer. Some, like Costco's Kirkland Signature, often have USP verification, but it is not a universal store policy [1.4.8].	Varies by brand. Reputable brands often seek third-party certification, but it is not universal. Nature Made is a prominent brand with many USP-verified products [1.6.3].
Certification Seals	May carry USP or NSF seals, or have undergone equivalent testing mandated by CVS [1.3.4].	Consumers must check individual product labels for seals like USP or NSF.	Top-tier brands often prominently display USP, NSF, or Informed-Sport seals on their labels [1.6.3].
Label Transparency	Ingredient labels are verified for accuracy under the CVS program [1.5.2].	Can vary greatly. Without a third-party seal, label accuracy is self-policed by the manufacturer [1.4.6].	Brands with third-party certification have verified label accuracy. Uncertified brands rely on internal quality control [1.6.1].

Conclusion: A Step Toward Trust

While the FDA's regulations for dietary supplements have limitations, third-party testing provides a vital layer of quality assurance for consumers. CVS's decision to mandate this testing for all supplements it sells, including its own brands, is a significant step toward greater transparency and trust in the industry. By requiring verification of ingredients and screening for contaminants, the "Tested to Be Trusted" program helps ensure that whether you choose a CVS brand or a national brand from their shelves, the product has undergone independent scrutiny. For any consumer, the best practice remains to look for a trusted third-party seal on the product label and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen [1.7.4].

For more information on supplement certification, you can visit the USP Verified website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, through its 'Tested to Be Trusted' program, CVS requires all vitamin and supplement brands it carries, including national brands and its own store brand, to be third-party tested [1.5.1].

The USP Verified Mark indicates that the product contains the ingredients listed on the label in the declared potency and amounts, does not contain harmful levels of contaminants, and will break down and release into the body within a specified amount of time [1.6.1, 1.6.3].

No, the FDA does not require third-party testing for dietary supplements. The agency establishes Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), but independent certification is voluntary for manufacturers [1.7.5].

Both are reputable third-party certifiers that test for label accuracy and contaminants. NSF International also has a specific 'Certified for Sport' program that tests for substances banned by sports organizations, which is a more rigorous standard [1.6.3].

Within CVS stores, both store brand and name-brand vitamins must meet the same 'Tested to Be Trusted' standards for ingredient accuracy and purity, suggesting a comparable level of quality assurance [1.5.1]. The primary difference may come down to specific formulations or ingredient forms [1.4.4].

It means the product's quality and label accuracy have not been independently verified by a major certification body. While the manufacturer may follow FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices, there is less external assurance of its potency and purity [1.6.5].

This program represents a significant commitment to transparency, as it requires verification from established third-party labs like USP and NSF [1.5.3]. It provides consumers with a higher level of confidence than relying solely on a manufacturer's claims.