Do you tell the doctor what you take?
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat. Doctors know what they prescribe. But they don't always know what you take. A survey of older Americans finds 69 percent don't tell their doctors about complementary and alternative medicines, such as herbal supplements. The survey was conducted by AARP and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health. Center Deputy Director Dr. Margaret Chesney says more than 40 percent said they didn't tell because their doctors didn't ask. She also says: "Another main reason is that people don't realize that they should, and that it's really important for providers to know." (7 seconds) Sometimes, what people take on their own can interfere with what a doctor prescribes. And knowing what you take on your own helps a doctor keep track of your health. Learn more at www.hhs.gov. HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss. Last revised: April, 18 2007 | 
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