Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984
[...] The use of various OTC drugs and dietary supplements is highly prevalent in Europe and patients are often not willing to disclose this information to laboratory staff and the ordering physician as a survey published in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, published by De Gruyter in association with the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM), shows.
The study reports on the results of a survey of patients in 18 European countries which shows that those taking OTC products and dietary supplements are not aware of the potential effects on laboratory test results they may have. In addition, patients do not believe that they need to disclose this use to medical and/or laboratory staff.
The study shows that dietary supplements and OTC drugs are more frequently used by middle-aged patients -- especially women -- with the most common being multivitamins, multiminerals, cranberry and aspirin. All of these compounds, if consumed shortly before blood sampling, may cause changes in lab test results, thus leading to interpretation difficulties and possibly incorrect diagnoses.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180810091520.htm
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Monday August 13 2018, @03:41AM
Note that TFA doesn't say "cranberries"; it says "cranberry." To me, that sounds like an adjective describing things like supplements, not necessary literal cranberries in their original form. And perhaps my previous post was unclear, but I'm pretty sure those trying to market cranberries as a "medical device" aren't predominantly selling raw cranberries, but likely concentrated supplements made from them.