TY - JOUR
T1 - Prescribing practices of healthcare professionals regarding multivitamins and mineral supplements in Pakistan
T2 - a cross-sectional study
AU - Mubashir, Maira
AU - Naz, Sabahat
AU - Shabbir, Mustafa
AU - Zehra, Nawazish
AU - Majid, Hafsa
AU - Jafri, Lena
AU - Habib, Aysha
AU - Iqbal, Romaina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group. This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
PY - 2026/4
Y1 - 2026/4
N2 - Background: Multivitamins and minerals (MVMs) are readily available dietary supplements that help prevent nutritional deficiencies and boost energy. This study examined the prescribing and consultation practices of healthcare professionals (HCPs) related to MVM supplements in Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a web-based structured questionnaire to collect data from HCPs from February 2021 to January 2022. The study link, which included a consent form and questionnaire, was circulated on social media platforms, and all individuals who provided consent and completed the forms were included in the study. Results: A total of 524 HCPs participated in the study, with the majority being males, holding MBBS or Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons qualifications, and working in urban settings. Findings revealed that HCPs prescribe MVMs for varied reasons. We assessed differences based on various factors like gender, education level, area of practice and specialty. Most of the differences observed were not statistically significant, except for a few related to area of practice and education level that were found significant. The primary conditions prompting MVM prescriptions included osteoporosis and bone pain (80% for vitamin D and calcium), fatigue and weakness (over 70% for iron) and numbness/tingling (more than half for folate and vitamin B12). Regarding biospecimen analysis before prescribing MVMs, 46% of HCPs required laboratory investigations before prescribing vitamin D and calcium and 60% for iron prescriptions. Common formulations prescribed include cholecalciferol for vitamin D deficiency (62%) and ferrous sulfate for iron deficiency (76%). Conclusion: Our study findings highlight that the prescribing practices of MVMs by HCPs are primarily in line with the known physiological roles of these supplements. However, a few identified gaps in practices highlight the need for standardised guidelines to ensure patients’ health and well-being.
AB - Background: Multivitamins and minerals (MVMs) are readily available dietary supplements that help prevent nutritional deficiencies and boost energy. This study examined the prescribing and consultation practices of healthcare professionals (HCPs) related to MVM supplements in Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a web-based structured questionnaire to collect data from HCPs from February 2021 to January 2022. The study link, which included a consent form and questionnaire, was circulated on social media platforms, and all individuals who provided consent and completed the forms were included in the study. Results: A total of 524 HCPs participated in the study, with the majority being males, holding MBBS or Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons qualifications, and working in urban settings. Findings revealed that HCPs prescribe MVMs for varied reasons. We assessed differences based on various factors like gender, education level, area of practice and specialty. Most of the differences observed were not statistically significant, except for a few related to area of practice and education level that were found significant. The primary conditions prompting MVM prescriptions included osteoporosis and bone pain (80% for vitamin D and calcium), fatigue and weakness (over 70% for iron) and numbness/tingling (more than half for folate and vitamin B12). Regarding biospecimen analysis before prescribing MVMs, 46% of HCPs required laboratory investigations before prescribing vitamin D and calcium and 60% for iron prescriptions. Common formulations prescribed include cholecalciferol for vitamin D deficiency (62%) and ferrous sulfate for iron deficiency (76%). Conclusion: Our study findings highlight that the prescribing practices of MVMs by HCPs are primarily in line with the known physiological roles of these supplements. However, a few identified gaps in practices highlight the need for standardised guidelines to ensure patients’ health and well-being.
KW - Physicians
KW - Prescriptions
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105035679336
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-111121
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-111121
M3 - Article
C2 - 41974540
AN - SCOPUS:105035679336
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 16
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 4
M1 - e111121
ER -