With new data showing nearly three quarters of older people are taking complementary medicines such as fish oil, vitamin D, glucosamine and calcium supplements every day*, Australians are being urged to choose their complementary medicines wisely to avoid the risk of side effects, and to ask questions to make sure they understand what they are taking.
Dr Robyn Lindner from the NPS MedicineWise Choosing Wisely Australia initiative says complementary medicines, which may also be called 'traditional' or 'alternative' medicines, are still considered medicines.
“If you’re taking vitamins, minerals, herbal products or anything else that falls under the complementary medicines umbrella, you really need to keep track of these medicines along with any prescription or over-the-counter medicines you take and make sure you include them when you talk to any health professional like your doctor or pharmacist,” said Dr Lindner.
“As complementary medicines are medicines too, they have the potential for benefits as well as risks, with some of the risks including interactions with other medicines and unwanted side effects,” she said.
Choosing Wisely Australia is an initiative encouraging Australians to be more proactive in the management of their own healthcare, and to ask their healthcare providers questions about any test, treatment or procedure, so they can make a more informed and joint decision about their health management.
The Choosing Wisely resource ‘5 questions to ask your doctor or healthcare provider’ encourages people to ask questions not just about medicines but also before you any test, treatment or procedure.
Questions around complementary medicines might include:
- Do I really need this treatment?
- What are the side effects?
- Are there simpler, safer options?
- What happens if I don’t do anything?
- What are the costs?
