key: cord-0773364-qo2v6rv2
authors: Marwitz, Kathryn K.
title: Re: Vitamin C and zinc lozenges for COVID-19?
date: 2021-05-29
journal: J Am Pharm Assoc (2003)
DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2021.05.019
sha: 3533b142e83cc52dc85962ead7963e46ebbcaa3f
doc_id: 773364
cord_uid: qo2v6rv2

nan

Re: Vitamin C and zinc lozenges for COVID-19?

To the Editor:

I appreciate the comments brought forward by Dr. Hemil€ a and Ms. Chalker regarding the efficacy of vitamin C and zinc for use in respiratory tract infections. These data are important to examine as their body of evidence continues to evolve.

However, the intent of my commentary was to highlight the ways medication information can be improperly marketed and touted and the roles that pharmacists have in educating patients about these claims. 1 Scientists and researchers are doing important work to study the safety and efficacy of medications for coronavirus disease 2019, among other illnesses. As this information is available in the peer-reviewed literature and covered by news sources, it may be used by others to promote unsubstantiated health claims. One study by Avery et al. 2 examined the utilization of structure-function claims made by dietary supplements in U.S. magazines and found that many of those claims were not well supported by clinical literature.

When medication information is misconstrued online and by other means, patients may take that information, which is very accessible to them, and use it in ways that impact their health. Pharmacy education prepares pharmacist graduates to "follow an evidence-based disease management protocol"

and "maximize the appropriate use of medications in a population." 3 As pharmacists are one of the most accessible health professionals, they can intervene when medication misinformation leads to inappropriate medication utilization.

The pharmacist's active role in combating COVID-19 medication misinformation

An examination of structure-function claims in dietary supplement advertising in the

Core entrustable professional activities for new pharmacy graduates