Aim: Complimentary and alternative medicines are widely used but are not registered medicines. The aim of the study was to compare advice given by health food stores and pharmacists for hypertension.
Methods: Twenty-six health food stores and 26 pharmacies were visited by an individual for advise on a hypothetical problem of hypertension.
Results: Staff in 25 out of 26 health food stores did not refer the researcher to a medical practitioner; instead they recommended and sold a wide variety of compounds of unproven efficacy.
Conclusions: We recommend the implementation of a formal training programme for health food stores staff and that complimentary and alternative medicines-use in New Zealand is regulated.