Alexa Hanson, doctoral student in human development, and Alicia Fitz, assistant professor of pharmacy, attended the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements course, “Dietary Supplement Research Practicum 2010,” June 14-18 on the NIH campus, Bethesda, Md.
The annual intensive course provides knowledge of dietary supplements to academic faculty and their doctoral or postdoctoral students. Experts from NIH, academic institutions and federal regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration served as speakers.
The practicum provides a thorough overview of issues, concepts, unknowns and controversies about dietary supplements and supplement ingredients. It also emphasizes the importance of scientific investigations to evaluate the efficacy, safety and value of products for health promotion and disease prevention and treatment, and how to carry out this type of research.