Yumrukaya Leyla, Sözen-Şahne Bilge, Saraçoğlu İclal, Yeğenoğlu Selen
Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Management, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
J Integr Complement Med. 2024 Dec;30(12):1179-1188. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2023.0632. Epub 2024 Jul 24.
The increased use of dietary supplements is a consequence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Although their efficacy has not been consistently proven, they have been perceived as a preventive tool against COVID-19. Less strict regulations and debates on their definitions in a regulatory framework raise concerns about safety issues. Apart from dietary supplement use, information demand has increased, and pharmacists have played a key role as accessible health professionals. This study aimed to reveal the opinions of community pharmacists, pharmacy staff, sector representatives, and academicians regarding the sale and use of dietary supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study approach was followed, using grounded theory. Data were collected between September 2021 and July 2022, analyzed using MAXQDA 2020 software, and reported according to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research. After refining the open codes, two themes emerged: dietary supplements and the effects of the pandemic. It was found that increased dietary supplement use was rooted in COVID-19 fear, promotional activities, and social media influence. The interaction between consumers and the dietary supplement industry is bidirectional. Pharmacies, as access points for these products, played a crucial role in struggling with the effects of the pandemic. Although dietary supplements are considered safe, their potential for adverse reactions poses a public health risk. Flexible regulations, unregulated alternative advertising channels, and a lack of awareness of the safety of these products pose a challenge to public health. In this regard, all stakeholders should work to minimize the risks from undergraduate education to professional life.
膳食补充剂使用的增加是2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行的一个结果。尽管其功效尚未得到一致证实，但它们已被视为预防COVID-19的一种工具。监管框架中对其定义的规定不太严格且存在争议，这引发了对安全问题的担忧。除了膳食补充剂的使用，信息需求也有所增加，药剂师作为容易接触到的健康专业人员发挥了关键作用。本研究旨在揭示社区药剂师、药房工作人员、行业代表和学者对COVID-19大流行期间膳食补充剂销售和使用的看法。采用了扎根理论的定性研究方法。在2021年9月至2022年7月期间收集数据，使用MAXQDA 2020软件进行分析，并根据定性研究报告的综合标准进行报告。在对开放编码进行提炼后，出现了两个主题：膳食补充剂和大流行的影响。研究发现，膳食补充剂使用的增加源于对COVID-19的恐惧、促销活动和社交媒体的影响。消费者与膳食补充剂行业之间的互动是双向的。药店作为这些产品的销售点，在应对大流行的影响方面发挥了关键作用。尽管膳食补充剂被认为是安全的，但其潜在的不良反应对公众健康构成风险。灵活的法规、不受监管的替代广告渠道以及对这些产品安全性缺乏认识，对公众健康构成了挑战。在这方面，所有利益相关者都应努力将从本科教育到职业生涯的风险降至最低。
