Evaluation of the Canadian natural health product regulatory framework in academic research: A scoping review

Ng, Jeremy Y.; Luong, Michelle

doi:10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101159

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Many patients with fatigue often turn to dietary and herbal supplements (DHSs) for symptom relief 5 . DHSs are defined as “products containing naturally occurring substances intended to supplement the diet, and restore or maintain good health,” encompassing vitamins and minerals, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicines, traditional medicines, probiotics, and other products such as amino acids, essential fatty acids, enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites 6 , 7 , 29 . They are often over-the-counter products which can typically be purchased without a prescription in pharmacies, health food stores, as well as through online retailers 8 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dietary and herbal supplements for fatigue: A quality assessment of online consumer health information

Zhang

Ahmed

2021

Integrative Medicine Research

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Background The Internet is increasingly utilized by patients to acquire information about dietary and herbal supplements (DHSs). Previously published studies assessing the quality of websites providing consumer health information about DHSs have been found to contain inaccuracies and misinformation that may compromise patient safety.. The present study assessed the quality of online DHSs consumer health information for fatigue. Methods Six unique search terms were searched on Google, each relating to fatigue and DHSs, across four countries. Across 480 websites identified, 48 were deemed eligible and were quality assessed using the DISCERN instrument, a standardized index of the quality of consumer health information. Results Across 48 eligible websites, the mean summed score was 47.64 (SD = 10.38) and the mean overall rating was 3.06 (SD = 0.90). Commercial sites were the most numerous in quantity, but contained information of the poorest quality. In general, websites lacked discussion surrounding uncertainty of information, describing what would happen if no treatment was used, and how treatment choices affect overall quality of life. Conclusion Physicians and other healthcare professionals should be aware of the high variability in the quality of online information regarding the use of DHSs for fatigue and facilitate open communication with patients to guide them towards reliable online sources.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%