Joseph Michael Betz BS, MS, PhD

Dr. Joseph M. Betz, Ph.D., joined the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements as Director of the ODS Analytical Methods and Reference Materials Program in 2001 (program description at http://ods.od.nih.gov/Research/AMRMProgramWebsite.aspx). In this role he oversees efforts to promote development of validated analytical methods and reference materials for dietary supplements. Prior to joining NIH, he spent 12 years as a research chemist at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and two years as the Vice President for Scientific and Technical Affairs at the American Herbal Products Association.

Dr. Betz is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. His research interests lie in the areas of analytical methods for determination of botanical quality and in plant toxins. Dr. Betz is a Fellow of AOAC International, and served on Health Canada’s Scientific Advisory Committee for Natural Health Products from 2002-2008. He is currently a member of the United States Pharmacopeia’s Dietary Supplements Expert Committee and of the NSF International Joint Committee for Dietary Supplements. He also serves on the Hog Kong government’s International Advisory Board on Chinese Materia Medica Standards. Dr. Betz is Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and at the Georgetown University College of Medicine in Washington, DC. He is co-author of 70 publications in the natural products and dietary supplements areas and continues to work toward ensuring the quality and safety of supplement products. He is the recipient of the American Botanical Council's first Norman R. Farnsworth Award for Excellence in Botanical Research, the American Herbal Product Association's Herbal Insight Award for Contributions to the Botanical Sciences, and the American Society of Pharmacognosy's Varro E. Tyler Prize for outstanding scientific contributions to the broad field of dietary supplements, with special emphasis on botanicals.