Advancing the pharmacist's role in promoting the appropriate and safe use of dietary supplements

Abstract

Background: Natural products (NPs) are widely purchased as dietary supplements (DS) in pharmacy outlets. U.S. pharmacists report multiple barriers in adopting a professional role that ensures the appropriate and safe use of DS.

Objective: To elicit pharmacist and key stakeholder perceptions about the actions needed to enable pharmacists to fulfill a professional role related to DS use.

Methods: An interview guide was developed based on the existing literature. A grounded theory approach involving in-depth, semi-structured key informant audio-recorded phone interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis using open coding, grouping, and categorizing into emergent themes was conducted.

Results: 22 interviews were conducted with 12 practicing pharmacists and 10 organizational representatives. In general, pharmacists proposed they could develop and promote themselves in this area, and all participants offered opinions about the actions they believed would facilitate the development of a more structured service and formalized role for pharmacists providing care related to DS use. Four key areas were identified (1) Education and training; (2) Strategies for ensuring high standards related to DS safety and quality assurance (3) Workplace resources (4) DS Research.

Conclusions: Despite the challenges facing pharmacy related to DS use, pharmacists and key stakeholders hold constructive and practical ideas about how to transform the current DS landscape into an opportunity that develops pharmacist's professional role and facilitates the appropriate and safe use of DS by Americans.

Keywords: Complementary medicine; Dietary supplements; Herbal medicines: education; Natural products; Pharmacists; Pharmacy; Regulation; Traditional medicine.