Poll: 40% of NHS Staff Encounter Patient Questions on Supplements Weekly

Two out of five frontline NHS staff encounter patients who raise inaccurate or misleading information about supplements at least once a week, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund. The figure rises to 53% among nurses and midwives. The survey of 795 NHS staff was conducted ahead of Cancer Prevention Action Week, which begins on Monday.

Dr Philippa Kaye said she sees the consequences of health misinformation every week in her GP surgery. “My patients arrive clutching newspaper stories, social media screenshots, printouts from wellness websites or saved videos from TikTok,” she stated.

She added that patients often assume over-the-counter products marked “natural” are automatically safe, while prescribed medicines are viewed as toxic.

Kaye listed specific risks tied to common supplements. Liver injury can occur with turmeric supplements, she said. St John’s wort can interact with other medications. Certain magnesium supplements can cause diarrhoea, and various supplements can trigger itchy skin reactions.

Steven Greenberg, the WCRF’s UK director, said social media contains claims about horse wormers, apricot kernels that can cause cyanide toxicity, sugar, and vitamin C in relation to cancer prevention and cures. “We are hearing from patients, nurses, GPs and oncology dietitians that this is pulling people away from the evidence-based changes to diet and lifestyle that can genuinely make a difference, while eating up precious time in NHS consultations,” he stated.

Sharon Moffat was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and later became a campaigner against unproven therapies.