Bio Concepts Pty Ltd 19a Guardhouse Road, Banyo QLD 4014

t. +61 (0)7 3868 0699 f. +61 (0)7 3102 6275

e. info@bioconcepts.com.au w. www.bioconcepts.com.au

Monday, 4th December 2017

My Colleagues and Friends

For over 30 years I have been at the helm of Bio Concepts. I have seen the field of nutrition grow and develop into a cornerstone of health in Australia. I have also seen Bio Concepts grow to become a leader in the industry with its mantra of quality, purity, efficacy and innovation. So, it is with pleasure that I have decided to pass the captaincy of Bio Concepts to my son Michael. Michael has grown up with Bio Concepts, he has spent his holidays working in the warehouse, has written and presented lectures and formulated some of our most innovative products all while studying for his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology and then his PhD. Since his graduation, he has stepped up to steer Bio Concepts through one of the most exciting times in the Australian natural health industry. Bio Concepts could not be in better hands as it embraces the future of nutrition and health. Michael has the vision and skills to incorporate what has traditionally made our products a symbol of excellence with the changing technological landscape that we all find ourselves in.

During the 40 years that I have been involved in the field of nutrition, over 30 of which have been dedicated to Bio Concepts, I have seen great change and an increased understanding in my area of passion: nutritional biochemistry. The number of practitioners who have grown their knowledge in this area has only served to benefit the industry and helped take nutritional medicine forward as a recognised and supported branch of the health sciences. This support has most recently manifested itself with the government creating the new Aust (L)A category for nutritional products. The government has seen this need as a reflection of the mainstream public’s acceptance of the role nutrition plays in improving their health and lives.

As I reflect on my time in the health industry, the biggest shift I have seen has been the slow move away from the disease model of medicine towards a model centred on wellness and optimum health. A model that considers the individuality of the patient, and that they are not a problem to be solved, but complex living beings that need support to maintain and improve their health. This paradigm shift allows new approaches to treating chronic illness, where the focus is helping the patient reach their optimal heath rather than treating the disease and not the patient as a whole. This change has been driven by a widely read and educated public who are no longer content to suffer the side effects and high-price of pharmaceuticals as the only solution to their illness. Drugs have always dealt best with the acute issues of human health - they are powerful tools that give trained clinicians the breathing space needed to problem solve and stabilise. But it is through nutrition and judicious nutritional supplementation that healing occurs.

Looking forward, it is the information technology revolution that I believe will continue to shape our lives, adding momentum to the changes in our industry. Any practitioner can now access the latest scientific research online, whether it be information on nutrients, contrary opinions or theoretical models.

Bio Concepts Pty Ltd 19a Guardhouse Road, Banyo QLD 4014

t. +61 (0)7 3868 0699 f. +61 (0)7 3102 6275

e. info@bioconcepts.com.au w. www.bioconcepts.com.au

Bio Concepts wants to continue its role in contributing to this wealth of online scientific and nutrient-specific information. This type of support that we provide to our practitioners is something that we pride ourselves on – in the future, we wish to expand the depth and breadth of knowledge we provide. We also want to bring this technological health revolution to our patients as the greater their understanding, the more empowered they are to take control of their health outcomes and seek the advice and treatment that works best for them, not just follow tired protocols without question. As practitioners we are not just carers and experts in our field, we are educators. Our profession is the necessary guide, the translator that takes the scientific knowledge of the researcher and presents the practical benefits in layman’s terms to the public. We all hold the key to creating a society where health is at the forefront and not just something that is addressed when it goes horribly wrong. However, this is not the only way technology will positively influence our industry. This is a revolution that will impact on patient care - information flow between the patient and the practitioner will make the patient an active and informed partner in the solution to their own medical and nutritional problems. As a consequence, our profession will grow in stature as the evidence mounts to offer alternative approaches to chronic diseases and requires the use integrative methods.

It is in this period of growth and change that I am handing the reins over to my children, Michael and Mariangela. I have mentored them throughout their lives and they have been imbued with the vital role that nutrition plays in the practice of medicine. I am also leaving them with an excellent team, one that I have picked and mentored, who have taken on my challenge and expectation to create innovative and effective formulations, as well as cutting-edge educational resources. I know that they will all continue the excellence, innovation, quality, education, and focus on improving the health of our community that Bio Concepts has always stood for. I am proud to have such wonderful people working for me and leading Bio Concepts into the future.

Finally, my thanks to you the practitioners, manufacturers, distributors, researchers, and patients. This industry has supported and encouraged me as I have grown and developed, not just a company of excellence but, myself as a better biochemical nutritionist. Thank you for the wonderful conversations we have had, the inspiration you have provided and the strength you show in fighting for the best outcomes for our community’s health. It has been an extraordinary four decades, thank you for sharing them with me.

Enjoy the future and what it holds for you.

Henry Osiecki