Natural health products and pharmacy practice

It has been argued that pharmacists are in the best position to provide patients with evidence-based information about natural health products (NHPs), however, the knowledge of pharmacists with respect to NHPs currently varies dramatically. This study aims to answer the question: What are the legal, ethical and practice responsibilities of pharmacists with respect to NHPs? The study will use four different types of data collection. 1)Provincial policies and standards of practise guidelines and/or regulations from each pharmacy regulatory body and National pharmacy association as well as relevant case law will be analyzed to identify any statements regarding pharmacists' professional responsibilities with respect to NHPs. 2) Interviews will be arranged with representatives from a range of groups (including pharmacy associations, pharmacies and health food stores, pharmaceutical and NHP industry, policy makers,complementary/alternative and conventional health care practitioner associations. 3) Focus groups with practising pharmacists and members of the public will be used to explore ideas and opinions about the current and future professional responsibilities of pharmacists with respect to NHPs. 4)A survey of Canadian pharmacists will ask about their agreemnent with different types of responsibilities with respect to NHPs. The findings of this study will be shared widely by working with pharmacy associations, regulatory Colleges, Faculties of Pharmacy and those developing continuing education programs.