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.