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Monday night’s Supplements and Safety episode of Four Corners featured a joint investigation by the New York Times and the PBS Frontline program in the US.
In her introduction to the program, ABC’s Sarah Ferguson said: “It’s an industry worth more than $1.5 billion a year in Australia, spruiked by celebrities and sporting stars. Australians spend more money on supplements than on regular medicine. But how much do we know about the potential dangers? At least six Australians needed organ transplants in the past five years after taking herbal supplements.”
NPS MedicineWise CEO Dr Lynn Weekes says that over 50% of all calls to the organisation’s Medicines Line (1300 633 424) about complementary medicines are questions about drug interactions – with the the most enquiries regarding Vitamin D and calcium preparations, multivitamin products, fish oil and other marine oil preparations, glucosamine products and St John’s wort.
NPS MedicineWise is strongly encouraging people to talk openly with their health professional and tell them about all the prescription and non-prescription medicines they are taking.
“Talk to your pharmacist or doctor in the first instance to find out whether a complementary medicine might be the right course of treatment for you,” said Dr Weekes. “Remember to ask if there will be any effect on your other prescription or non-prescription medicines.”
“Your health professional can help guide you when it comes to choosing a complementary medicine, how much to take, how often to take the medicine, and what side effects and interactions to look out for.”
“Finding good information on the internet can be tricky, as there are thousands of websites providing information about complementary medicines—but you need to keep in mind that many of these are designed to sell products, and the information they provide is often not reliable,” she said.
“There are also potential pitfalls and risks when it comes to buying complementary medicines online. There’s no certainty that something you buy from an overseas website has been manufactured to Australian standards, and even a product with the same brand name as an Australian product may have completely different active ingredients. Essentially, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
The FREE MedicineList+ smartphone app by NPS MedicineWise will help you or someone you care about, to keep a complete list of all your prescription, non-prescription and complementary medicines. The app helps you keep track of what you’re taking and when you should take it, it offers reminders, and allows you to share your list with a health professional.
For information about prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines including herbal, ‘natural’, vitamins and minerals, call NPS Medicines Line on 1300 MEDICINE (1300 633 424). Hours of operation are Monday–Friday 9am–5pm AEST (excluding public holidays).
If you experience a significant side effect relating to your medicines, it’s important to contact your health professional. You are also able to report this to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) via the NPS MedicineWise Adverse Medicine Events Line on 1300 134 237.
For information on the Government rules for complementary medicines sold in Australia, see the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s web page on The regulation of complementary medicines in Australia – an overview: http://www.tga.gov.au/overview-regulation-complementary-medicines-australia