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DRUG INFORMATION

Usefulness of Herbal and Dietary Supplement References

Director, Drug Information and Investigational Drug Services; Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI

Wendy E Gay, PharmD

at time of writing, Pharmacy Practice Resident and Clinical Instructor, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Health System; now, Clinical Staff Pharmacist, Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville, VA

Michelle A Leady, PharmD

Clinical Pharmacist, Drug Information; Clinical Instructor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Health System

Janice L Stumpf, PharmD

Clinical Pharmacist, Drug Information; Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Health System

Reprints: Burgunda V Sweet PharmD, University of Michigan Health System, UH B2D301 Box 0008, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0008, FAX 734/936-7027, E-mail gsweet{at}umich.edu

OBJECTIVE: To describe the usefulness of some of the most common tertiary references that healthcare professionals employ to answer requests about herbal and dietary supplements.

METHODS: All requests for information on herbal and dietary supplements received by the drug information service between April and September 2000 were evaluated. Each question was independently reviewed by 4 clinicians using a 4-point scale; 14 references were searched for appropriate answers. The percent of responses for each of the possible scores for each reference overall and by category of question was reported to determine the most helpful references for answering the broadest range of questions.

RESULTS: Fifty questions regarding herbal and dietary supplements were analyzed. The electronic databases (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, Micromedex) and the Internet site (The Natural Pharmacist) were determined to be overall the most helpful references for providing information on herbal and dietary supplements. The Natural Therapeutics Pocket Guide was the most helpful book reference.

CONCLUSIONS: These results will facilitate the retrieval of useful information on herbal and dietary supplements and enable healthcare professionals to determine appropriate allocation of resources as they build a drug information library for handling requests about these products.

Key Words: alternative medicines, drug information, herbal supplements

Published Online, February 28, 2003. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1C046

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