Drug vs dietary supplement – the main difference Review article

Abstract

In the Polish pharmacy sales system there is allowed that pharmacological substance may be available simultaneously as: prescription medicinal products, over-the-counter medicinal products and dietary supplements. Advertisements and promotional messages for supplements often contain misleading information, suggesting dietary supplements having medicinal properties and makes them look like a drugs. This blurs the lines to immediately distinguish between them, and since patients’ health and lives depend on it education on this is essential. The paper discusses the basic concepts facilitating the understanding of the differences between medicinal products (commonly referred to as drugs) and dietary supplements. Different legal regulations governing drugs and dietary supplements are also described, and attention is drawn to the details that characterize these two categories. Comparison of drugs and dietary supplements has been prepared in relation to the treatment of diseases (e.g. chronic venous insufficiency, iron deficiency anemia, osteoarthritis).