Unsafe pharmacy advice?
January 25, 2013
PHARMACIES may be putting
pregnant women at risk by giving
them wrong advice regarding
complementary medicines,
according to a New Zealand study.
The study, undertaken by the
Medical Research Institute of New
Zealand, involved 21 pharmacies
and 21 health food stores across NZ
which were visited by a researcher
who sought advice regarding
vitamin supplementation and
nausea in early pregnancy using a
standardised scenario.
As part of the study, the
researcher noted down any advice
given at the pharmacies and health
food stores, including details of
recommended products,
immediately upon leaving the
premises.
According to the findings, 23.8%
of pharmacies and 4.8% of health
food stores made
recommendations for nausea which
were supported by the official NZ
Ministry of Health (MOH)
guidelines.
Worryingly, the researchers noted
that 67% of pharmacies and 33.3%
of health food stores provided
product recommendations which
were contrary to the MOH advice.
Interestingly a 95% of pharmacies
gave advice consistent with MOH
recommended dosage of folic acid
supplementation, as compared to
47.6% of health food stores.
Of note, 9.5% of pharmacies and
19% of health food stores gave
advice with a potential risk of
vitamin A overdose.
“Pharmacies and HFS in Greater
Wellington provided potentially
hazardous advice, recommending
products, often branded for
pregnancy, which contradicted NZ
MOH guidelines,” the researchers
said.
“Regulatory reform of
complementary and alternative
medicine products and those who
sell them is called for in New
Zealand,” the researchers added.
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