Something happened recently that kind of blew my mind. I was always under the impression that it was a conflict of interest for a dietitian to sell supplements. Short of causing someone harm, in my mind, it was pretty much one of the most blatantly wrong things that a dietitian could do. In my mind, it still is, but according to at least one College of Dietitians, it’s not.
I happened to be exploring a fellow dietitian’s website, as I’d seen them make some questionable assertions in blog posts. You know, the sort of sensational “sexy” hype that I’m always saying we RDs don’t make. I happened to notice that they had a “shop” in which you could purchase several supplements. I shared this information with a friend, another dietitian, who passed it along to a contact at the College in their region. The response indicated that this might be a concern; however, if there is scientific backing for the supplements, as long as clients don’t feel pressured into purchasing supplements, while not ideal, it’s kind of okay. What??
One of the main reasons that many mainstream healthcare professionals take an exception to some alternative healthcare professionals is that they peddle supplements to their clients. It shouldn’t matter how much science there is supporting the use of a supplement. For any healthcare professional to receive direct compensation for the sale of a supplement or drug is a clear conflict of interest. No matter how amazing the supplement may be, no matter how questionable the supplement may be, the potential to profit from its sale to a client can cloud the judgement of even the most upstanding healthcare provider.
I can understand the desire to make money by selling things. It can be tough to make a living as a dietitian. A supplement may seem like a fitting choice. However, it undermines our credibility. For one thing, there is little evidence to support the use of most nutritional supplements. Imagine the more extreme scenario: You go to see your doctor who diagnoses you with disease X. Fortunately, there is cure Y which she can sell you. Can you not see the potential for corruption? misdiagnosis? Unnecessary treatment? Incorrect treatment? Despite the best of intentions, this can happen when the person who is assessing your condition is also selling you the cure. It’s unethical for healthcare providers to profit from a direct sale of a treatment.
If you ever visit a healthcare professional who offers to sell you a treatment or cure, please report them to their governing body. Get a second opinion. Do some research. We need you to ensure that all healthcare professionals are doing their utmost to ethically optimize your health.
Feb 9, 2015 at 9:25 am
Wonderful and timely article (in light of the recent supplement scandal). As a fellow RD, I feel the same way. However, in the US, state licensure laws vary and in MN it is not allowed to sell any kind of nutritional product for profit. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this too! Curious what college you may be referring to that says it is “ok?”
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Feb 9, 2015 at 10:02 am
Yay for MN! It was a college in Canada, I’d rather not say which province.
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Feb 9, 2015 at 10:19 am
I feel the same way (I’m an RD in Germany). I barely find an RD around here who doesn’t sell supplements or works with a diet such as paleo… a great deal of my fellow classmates have started working with a certain supplement brand (they also make money through convincing other non-qualified people to sell those supplements and give nutrition counselling). It is so hard to make people believe in what we do and things like that just make it so much harder…
By the way, I love your blog so much!
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Feb 9, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Thank you so much Teresa! It’s such a battle, isn’t it. It’s difficult to convince people that we’re credible when other RDs are peddling supplements and diets and difficult to compete when we’re not doing these things. Thanks for the support! Love germany, by the way!
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Feb 9, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Reblogged this on dietitianeats and commented:
Great post by a fellow dietitian in Nova Scotia!!
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Feb 9, 2015 at 6:12 pm
It is not much different from pharmacies selling homeopathic remedies that they know do nothing except empty your wallet
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Feb 9, 2015 at 7:34 pm
So many instances of profit undermining our efforts. Sigh
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Feb 10, 2015 at 1:16 pm
A very timely topic to discuss. Completely agree it is unethical. In MN it is my understanding that a dietitian can sell supplements as long as he/she discloses that they are receiving a profit from the sales of the supplements.
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Feb 12, 2015 at 6:03 pm
I’m a RD in MN as well. If the RD sells a product and that sale resulted in financial benefit to the RD, then it is grounds for disciplinary action with the board. I also agree that selling supplements as a dietitian is unethical. This is a great article. Thank you for posting. I will paste the wording from our MN licensure law here:
148.629 DENIAL, SUSPENSION, OR REVOCATION
Subdivision 1. Grounds. The board may refuse to renew or grant a license to, or may suspend, revoke, or restrict the license
of an individual whom the board, after a hearing under the contested case provisions of chapter 14, determines:
(1) is incompetent to engage in dietetic or nutrition practice, or is found to be engaged in dietetic or nutrition practice in a
manner harmful or dangerous to a client or to the public;
(2) has violated the rules of the board or the statutes the board is empowered to enforce;
(3) has obtained or attempted to obtain a license or license renewal by bribery or fraudulent representation;
(4) has knowingly made a false statement on a form required by the board for licensing or license renewal; or
(5) has sold any dietary supplement product if the sale of that product resulted in financial benefit to the individual.
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Feb 12, 2015 at 6:06 pm
Thanks Angie! Seems pretty cut and dry based on #5. Thanks for sharing that!
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Mar 29, 2018 at 5:05 am
I read what you wrote about your topic unethical to sell supplements, but we as professionals recommend suplements as needed. If we decided to sell supplements as a business or work for an industry of selling suppplements is a Carear path that we take. We should not be against those jobs.
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Mar 29, 2018 at 6:16 am
I disagree. I think that it would undermine our credibility as professionals if we sold supplements.
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Feb 13, 2019 at 2:46 am
Agree Diana
Would love your thoughts on if selling them to a market where there may be use e.g. bulking, creatine, sports nutrition rather natural remedies.
I know in theory we can get it all from food but that’s not always convenient to eat 6 chicken breasts a day for example.
Just to point out i don’t sell supplements.
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Feb 13, 2019 at 7:18 am
Thanks for the question. Most sports nutrition supplements are unnecessary and many are tainted with unlisted (and sometimes illegal) ingredients so I don’t think it would be ethical for a dietitian to sell them. If there was a product they felt was useful they could recommend it to a client rather than to sell it themselves.
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Feb 13, 2019 at 7:56 am
Thanks for response.
I would agree sometimes supplements are not needed but in certain situations they can be useful. Particularly if the goal is to gain mass or in high level sport where recovery and energy is needed frequently.
If you were to recommend a range of products anyway, I could see why some people see the appeal in stocking and selling them.
I think some dietitians just get frustrated as there is certainly a lack of enterprise opportunities for us.
I can relate to my own hospital where i see many doctors making extra cash speaking for pharam companies. While there is limited opportunities for AHPs to increase their income.
Keep up the great blogs!
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