CV Sciences, Inc. Appoints Dr. Douglas MacKay as Senior Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs

LAS VEGAS, March 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CV Sciences, Inc. (CVSI) (the “Company”, “CV Sciences”, “our”, “us” or “we”), a preeminent supplier and manufacturer of industry-dominating hemp CBD brand, PlusCBD Oilâ„¢, today announced the appointment of Douglas “Duffy” MacKay, N.D., as Senior Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs, effective March 18, 2019.  Dr. MacKay will oversee the Company’s scientific and regulatory affairs department, ensuring CV Sciences continues to pioneer the development of hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) products driven by rigorous science, innovation, and regulatory compliance.  

Dr. MacKay brings more than 20 years of experience to CV Sciences in nutrition research, dietary supplements, health sciences and regulatory affairs.  He joins CV Sciences following more than ten years at the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs. CRN is the leading trade association representing dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers, with a mission to sustain and enhance a climate for its members to responsibly develop, manufacture and market dietary supplements, functional food and nutritional ingredients.

“Dr. MacKay is renowned in the fields of natural medicine, nutrition and public policy, and his background and leadership capabilities make him the ideal person to lead our scientific and regulatory team,” said Joseph Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of CV Sciences. “CV Sciences is dedicated to accelerating CBD innovation, and imperative to that commitment is our ability to attract the world’s best talent. Employing people with the caliber of Dr. MacKay allows CV Sciences to not only strengthen our position as a provider of high-quality CBD products, but also improves the knowledge base and credibility of the overall industry through advanced understanding of research, product, and technology development, while ensuring regulatory compliance.”

Dr. MacKay’s responsibilities at CRN included providing scientific expertise in nutrition, pharmacology, pharmacognosy, toxicology, for evaluating proposed government and industry actions; building effective rapport with scientific communities; establishing working relationships with regulators through engagement on dietary supplement and functional food regulatory matters; and educating regulators, legislators, and Attorney Generals regarding industry self-regulatory and compliance initiatives.  Prior to CRN, Dr. MacKay served as Research Advisor to Nordic Naturals, the leading omega-3 fish oil brand in the United States.

“I have dedicated my career to advancing the research, science and development of nutritional products and supplements, and joining CV Sciences presents an exciting opportunity to continue to move the CBD industry forward through credible scientific rationale,” said MacKay.  “CV Sciences is a clear leader in hemp-based CBD and I am very pleased to join the management team to further advance their mission to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle through continued innovation of the PlusCBD Oil product line.”

Dr. MacKay serves on the advisory board for the American Botanical Council, the NSF International Joint Committee on Dietary Supplements, and the NIST/NIH Dietary Supplement Laboratory Quality Assurance Program.  He is a licensed naturopathic doctor and previously was owner and practitioner in a New Hampshire-based integrative medical practice. Additionally, Dr. MacKay is on the editorial board of three peer-reviewed publications: the official publication of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Natural Medicine Journal, Integrative Medicine—a Clinician’s Journal, and Current Topics in Nutraceutical Research. Dr. MacKay is also Chair of the Steering Committee for the SIDI Work Group.

Dr. MacKay holds a bachelor’s in Marine Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and his N.D. from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon.

About CV Sciences, Inc.
CV Sciences, Inc. (CVSI) operates two distinct business segments: a consumer product division focused on manufacturing, marketing and selling hemp-based CBD products to a range of market sectors; and a drug development division focused on developing and commercializing novel therapeutics utilizing CBD. The Company’s Plus CBD Oilâ„¢ is the top-selling brand of hemp-derived CBD on the market, according to SPINS, the leading provider of syndicated data and insights for the natural, organic and specialty products industry. CV Sciences, Inc. has primary offices and facilities in San Diego, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.  Additional information is available from OTCMarkets.com or by visiting www.cvsciences.com.