Pharmacy and herbal medicine in the US

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) Vol. 49; no. 2; pp. 279 - 289
• Main Authors: Bouldin, Alicia S, Smith, Mickey C, Garner, Dewey D, Szeinbach, Sheryl L, Frate, Dennis A, Croom, Edward M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.1999; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Series: Social Science & Medicine
• Subjects: Adult; Alternative Medicine; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Community; Community pharmacy; Drugs; Female; Folk medicine; General pharmacology; Health participants; Health Services Research; Herbal medicine; Herbal medicine Community pharmacy United States; Herbalism; Holistic Medicine; Humans; Information; Male; Medical sciences; Medications; Medicine; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Perceptions; Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmaceuticals; Pharmacies; Pharmacists; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pharmacy; Phytotherapy; Plants (Botanical); Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quality standards; Surveys; United States; United States of America; USA; United States; North America; America; United States > US; Herbal medicine; United States; Community pharmacy; Human; Health staff; Health; Chemist; Self perception; Epidemiology; Medicinal plant; Self prescription; Treatment; Alternative medicine; Professional practice; Occupational role; Sanitary surveillance; Public health
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/S0277-9536(99)00118-5

Herbal medicine is increasing in popularity in the United States. The market continues to grow, with a presence being established for commercially-prepared herbal products in community pharmacies throughout the nation. This survey was conducted to describe that presence in pharmacies and to describe pharmacists' perceptions of this product class. A response rate of 26.3% ( n=512) was achieved for a five-page mail survey sent to a geographically stratified random sample of community pharmacies in the United States. Approximately 73% of pharmacists responding indicated that their pharmacy carried commercially-prepared herbal products. Attitudinal items were included to measure pharmacists' perceptions toward these products, as those perceptions have the potential to influence attitudes and subsequently behavior (such as clinical involvement with patients wishing to integrate herbal products into an existing regimen). Pharmacists, on average, did not believe that herbal products are well standardized, or that the products are well accepted by the Food and Drug Administration or the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Much potential exists for pharmacists to fill a role as information provider to patients who self-medicate with herbal medicines; must their perceptions of the product class be changed first?