The Facts:
* The majority of women interviewed as part of a British study did not disclose to their GP that they were using herbal medicines.
* Women were generally not aware of the potential interactions between herbal and prescription medicines and most did not report side effects that they had experienced.
* Other reasons for not communicating with their GP included the fear of being criticised and GPs failing to ask their patients about herbal medicine use.
Shaun’s comment: This study was different from the studies that we usually discuss – the information was gathered not by collecting information or undertaking experiments, but by interviewing people and asking for their opinions. The message is that most people do not tell their doctors about any herbal treatments that they are taking for a variety of reasons. However, it is good practice to inform your doctor, as there are many potentially dangerous interactions between herbal treatments and prescribed medications.
Study reference:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-6-40
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