AAPS Advises Consumer Caution

AAPS Advises Consumer Caution

WASHINGTON--At a meeting held on June 29, an American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists(AAPS) [www.aaps.com] scientist warned consumers that reading labels and comparing prices may not be the best way to choose a dietary supplement. AAPS president, LarryAugsburger, Ph.D., noted that consumers must answer key questions before purchasing a supplement.

According to Augsburger, consumers must determine if the product can interfere negatively with prescription drugs, if it is absorbable in the form in which it is sold, and if there are additional warnings or cautions that the supplement manufacturer may have omitted.

"Currently," said Augsburger, "consumers have no clear basis for determining product quality. In fact, a product testing industry has evolved that has the potential to prey on consumers by selling a 'seal of approval' that may or may not be meaningful."