doTERRA Joins the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials

PLEASANT GROVE, UTAH—JUNE 17, 2020—doTERRA today announced that it has been accepted as a supporting member of the world-renowned Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM). As the leading global aromatherapy and essential oils company, doTERRA was granted membership based on a unanimous vote from the organization’s board of directors. RIFM also invited doTERRA scientists to contribute their essential oils’ knowledge and expertise as part of the organization’s natural complex substances working group.

RIFM’s purpose is to gather and analyze scientific data, engage in testing and evaluation, distribute information, cooperate with official agencies, and encourage uniform safety standards related to the use of fragrance ingredients.

“Our reputation for the relentless pursuit of purity fostered a relationship between RIFM and doTERRA’s sourcing team, which led to the decision to pursue membership in the organization,” said Dr. Russell J. Osguthorpe, doTERRA’s chief medical officer. “This partnership is part of an initiative to perform safety assessments on natural complex substances, such as essential oils. RIFM produces the most authoritative and comprehensive fragrance safety evaluations in the world. Together, we will improve the worldwide understanding of the science and safety behind essential oils, as well as their uses aromatically, topically and internally.”

As members, doTERRA will have access to RIFM’s comprehensive database on fragrance and flavor ingredients, which provides upwards of 70,000 references that include more than 135,000 human health and environmental studies on more than 6,000 materials.

An independent expert scientific panel reviews all of RIFM’s research, and its conclusions form the basis for the standards set by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). Using the most current, globally-recognized guidelines, RIFM has to date completed panel-approved safety assessments for more than 85% of the current volume of use by the fragrance industry.

“We are an organization that firmly believes that we can do so much better with the safety and understanding of natural complex substances when we bring more resources to the table and expert voices to the discussion,” said RIFM’s President, James C. Romine, PhD. “doTERRA offers a unique and valuable perspective to RIFM, and we look forward to its scientists’ ongoing contributions to our working group.”

About RIFM

RIFM is the international scientific authority for the safe use of fragrance materials. RIFM generates, evaluates and distributes scientific data on the safety assessment of fragrance raw materials found in personal and household care products. Through extensive research, testing and constant monitoring of all scientific literature available, RIFM maintains its Database as the most comprehensive source worldwide of physical-chemical, toxicological and eco-toxicological data associated with known fragrance and flavor materials. RIFM’s scientific findings are evaluated by an independent Expert Panel—an international group of dermatologists, pathologists, toxicologists, reproduction, respiratory and environmental scientists. The Expert Panel evaluates the safety of fragrance ingredients under conditions of intended use and publishes its results in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The decisions of the Expert Panel regarding restrictions of use are published as IFRA Standards. For more information about RIFM, visit www.rifm.org.