More than half of the 2000 questions asked on an Australian helpline between 2014 and 2018 were about mixing complementary medicines with prescription drugs.

Enquiries to the free Medicines Line covered a wide range of complementary medicines with fish oil, magnesium and probiotics being the most frequently queried. The study findings were presented at the Choosing Wisely Australia 2019 Annual Meeting.

Choosing Wisely is a global initiative across 22 countries, including New Zealand, which aims to stimulate important conversations about tests, treatments and procedures.