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The New Zealand Medical Journal

 Journal of the New Zealand Medical Association, 24-April-2009, Vol 122 No 1293

[full text] [PDF]

High blood pressure advice given by natural health food stores
Robert Siebers, Shaun Holt, Bridget Healy, Richard Beasley, Carl Burgess

Abstract


Aim
Complimentary and alternative medicines are widely used but are not registered medicines. The aim of the study was to compare advice given by health food stores and pharmacists for hypertension.

Methods
Twenty-six health food stores and 26 pharmacies were visited by an individual for advise on a hypothetical problem of hypertension.

Results
Staff in 25 out of 26 health food stores did not refer the researcher to a medical practitioner; instead they recommended and sold a wide variety of compounds of unproven efficacy.

Conclusions
We recommend the implementation of a formal training programme for health food stores staff and that complimentary and alternative medicines-use in New Zealand is regulated.

     
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