PHARMACISTS have blasted attempts by the vitamin and supplement industry to employ naturopaths in chemists as a sales gimmick and fear it will diminish the credibility of their profession.

Ian Carr, a Taree-based pharmacist, said he was dismayed by the trend of naturopaths employed by supplement companies and pharmacists to work as in-store ­consultants. He said many supplements were not evidenced-based and didn’t do what they claimed.

“I’m going to campaign against the placement of naturopaths in store because its message is contrary to the dispensing side and I don’t want to mislead clients with nonsense like naturopathy.

media_camera The supplements industry is worth $3.1 billion. Picture: Nathan Edwards media_camera Naturopaths are now being hired to work in pharmacies.

“Historically, we have ­always had vitamins as a healthy line to sell, but now we have greater access to evidence-based ­information and we are in a position to say, ‘No, vitamin B will not give you more energy and glucosamine is questionable for ­arthritis’,” he said.

Research by Roy Morgan shows that in 2015, 8.1 million Australians bought ­vitamins or supplements in any given six-month period, 1.5 million more than the same period in 2011. The industry is now worth $3.1 billion.

Nearly half of all women buy supplements and more than a third of all men despite there being little evidence of their benefit.

Last week vitamin and supplement giant Blackmores ­advertised for naturopaths to join the “In-Store health and wellbeing team” across key Sydney pharmacies.

Dr Lesley Braun, the ­Director of Blackmores Institute, said pharmacies were a key destination for complementary medicines.

“Many pharmacies are supplementing the expertise of the pharmacist with a qualified naturopath in-store to provide additional advice on appropriate complementary medicine use as well as diet and lifestyle information.”

media_camera People buy vitamins and supplements despite a lack of evidence of any benefit. Picture: Thinkstock

Dr Braun rejected criticism and said a Pharmacy Guild survey of 700 pharmacists found that half would employ a naturopath.

“Interestingly, the Guild report goes on to explain that 65 per cent of pharmacy customers taking complementary medicines, that is Australian consumers, think it’s important for a naturopath to be available in a pharmacy”,”she said.

“It is entirely reasonable for pharmacists to seek the assistance of an appropriately qualified naturopath in delivering quality information onto their customers.”

But Mr Carr said pharmacies were selling supplements to try to claw back profits that had diminished with medications that had come off patent.

media_camera The rift has opened as flu season approaches.

In 2011, the Pharmacy Guild was pilloried for striking a deal with Blackmores akin to a “Do you want fries with that?” McDonald’s-style marketing push. The guild, which represents 94 per cent of Australia’s 5450 pharmacies, ditched the deal.

The president of the Australian Medical Association Dr Brian Owler said pharmacists needed to re-evaluate their professional roles.

“These things run the risk of diminishing the ­professional reputation of pharmacists and suggests they are more of a shop rather than a place to seek advice about medications,” he said.

Greg Turnbull, spokesman for the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, said if members ­employed complementary therapists, they should “be mindful of their duty of care and responsibility for any ­advice or service provided within their pharmacy”.

Using folk remedies to feel better will leave you cold

JANE HANSEN

THEY are the first things we reach for when the winter sniffles arrive but experts say popular ­supplements such as vitamin C and echinacea are really just a waste of money.

Dr Michael Tam, a general practitioner and senior lecturer at the University of NSW, said most popular natural cold and flu supplements simply don’t work.

“They appear to be no better than placebo,” he said. “In the general community there is no evidence vitamin C makes any difference in terms of length or severity of a cold.”

Another popular herbal remedy, echinacea, which is a member of the daisy family, has also failed to prove its effectiveness as a preventative. One supplement that has shown promise is zinc, Dr Tam said.

“There is some evidence it can reduce some symptoms but you need high doses and it tastes bad and can make you sick, ” he said.

Garlic has shown some promise but only one study has been done by the company which is selling the garlic supplement, Dr Tam said.