By John E. Courtney, PhD

As a society, ASN highlights the very best scientific research that promotes healthy people and communities; we recognize that nutrition research is conducted within and across the public, private and government sectors of our society. ASN members understand that the nutrition challenges facing the world are multi-faceted and require research-based solutions. The Society also understands that public confidence in scientific research and integrity is essential to translate scientific evidence into improved dietary practices by consumers.

ASN’s professional activities allow members to come together and share information and research findings that accelerates discoveries that allow us to better understand the connections among diets and health. As a broad member-based organization, we are transparent about the fact that industry, government, trade groups and other scientific organizations contribute funding to help our society support the research enterprise for all of our members. ASN is committed to openness, objective science, and disclosure of potential conflicts. The Society’s Conflict of Interest attestation and “guiding principles for working with external groups and addressing COI” can be found on our website. All of the Editors for ASN’s three journals have publicly-available conflict of interest statements, which is not a required process and is an example of our commitment to transparency.

ASN promotes rigorous research that highlights the very best dietary practices, policies and guidance. Because issues of nutrition impact virtually every aspect of the food supply chain, involvement of all informed stakeholders in the scientific enterprise is essential. Furthermore, in today’s extremely competitive research environment, industry support helps progress research that might otherwise be impossible due to limited federal funding. ASN, like all scientific societies, remains vigilant in safeguarding the integrity of the scientific process from the biases and influences that can be associated with research funding from all sources. Without scientific integrity, there can be no public trust.

ASN does not have small goals, and therefore we cannot work in a vacuum. We believe that scientists in academia, government, and industry can partner to solve the world’s nutrition challenges. Our members work with moms and dads, children, the elderly, the sick, the under- and over- nourished, foundations, companies, governments, and media. We look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders who are passionate about nutrition and committed to the highest ethical standards for research that advances the public health to achieve a healthier world.

ASN welcomes all to the table to learn from one other and to make progress on continuing to solve today’s complex nutrition challenges. These challenges include improving mechanisms and processes to fund, conduct and review nutrition research that improves global health.