title: What risk do consumers face when seeking medical advice from health food stores?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is currently no specific legislation to regulate either complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) products or the majority of those promoting them. This study sought to highlight the general risk a consumer may face when they seek help/advice from a pharmacy or health food store (HFS).
  
  
  METHODS
  21 HFS, matched with pharmacies, were visited by a researcher complaining of tiredness, who stated he had been taking warfarin over the previous 2 months. The name, manufacturer and retail price of any products recommended were recorded immediately after leaving the premises. Paired contingency table analysis was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A pharmacy was significantly more likely to advise the consumer to consult a doctor (13/21) than a HFS (3/21) with a difference in marginal proportions of 47.6% (95% CI 22.5-72.7), p=0.006. A HFS was more likely to recommend more products, and only about one-quarter gave appropriate advice regarding possible interactions with warfarin and management of anticoagulation compared with two-thirds of pharmacies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To provide safe and quality advice to consumers, those promoting CAM products need to obtain relevant history and give accurate information regarding possible dug interactions and be prepared to refer back to mainstream medical services. Better regulation of CAM products and those promoting them is called for.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ), Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Llifon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jefferies
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weatherall
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beasley
authors.forename: Philippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shirtcliffe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D058870:Food, Organic; D006266:Health Education; D041743:Herb-Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012651:Self Medication; D014859:Warfarin / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin