One Significant Difference between Pharmaceuticals and Alternative Remedies

[MineralMan]

4. It's important to read those patient information inserts.

Neither doctors or pharmacists give you all of the details, but you'll get the patient information with every prescription, and can also look it up on the manufacturer's website. If you care to, you can also read the prescribing information, but for most people that's way too technical. You can even go look at actual clinical trial study results, if you wish.

You cannot do that with non-pharmaceutical supplements. No such patient information inserts are available. You can look up information on the Internet, but much of that information is written by non-medical people and may be based more on wishful thinking than actual clinical trials or research.

The FDA requires that full information be provided with prescription medications, and pharmacists make sure you have that information. Whether you read it or not is up to you. But, it's highly recommended.

No such requirements exist for supplements and alternative remedies, so you just won't find that information that you can count on. It's worth comparing, truly.