Nutraceuticals in the Classroom

Colleges and universities are tailoring programs and CE coursework for students keen on learning more about natural products.

By
Joanna Cosgrove
Online Editor

It’s become common practice for physicians to ask their patients if they are taking dietary supplements before prescribing treatment regimens. What’s also becoming more common is the inclusion of natural products training programs for those destined for the healthcare segment. Indeed, today a growing number of colleges and universities across the country are offering courses, seminars, degree programs and continuing education modules structured to educate doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare professionals about the merits and impact of various facets of the natural products industry.

For instance, the curriculum of the University of Southern Nevada College of Pharmacy PharmD program includes an elective course, “Complementary Medicine: Drug and Non-drug Therapies,” which is designed to survey and analyze the alternative therapies to traditional Western medicine currently available to patients and clients in the U.S. with emphasis on identifying the impact and compatibility of these non-drug options with that of FDA approved medications. The areas covered include evidence-based approaches to therapy, pharmacognosy, herbal medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, prolotherapy, drug-herb interactions, phytohormone replacement, nutritional therapy, detoxification therapies, manipulative therapies, mind-body medicine, magnetic field therapies, flower essence and aromatherapy, longevity medicine, precautions and recommendations.

At the University Of Utah College Of Pharmacy, what was once an elective course on Herbal Medicine is now a required course in the school’s Doctor of Pharmacy program. The course covers popular herbs, their chemistry, use, efficacy and safety, as well as potential drug interactions. An important component of the class is a discussion of DSHEA (the Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act) and the difficulties it presents to consumers trying to obtain accurate, meaningful information about supplements. Another component of the course is a discussion of the potential uses of vitamins and minerals to reduce the incidence of certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease, and to provide guidelines for the selection of rational nutritional supplements. In the latter case, the new USP requirements related to quality control of dietary supplements are reviewed as part of the course. Potential diet, drug, and supplement interactions also are discussed.

Degree Programs

In addition to elective and required individual coursework, some institutes of higher learning are also offering diploma and degree programs. Huntington College of Health Sciences (HCHS) in Knoxville, TN, offers what is billed as the world’s first diploma program in dietary supplement science. The recently accredited, six-course diploma program provides “a comprehensive education in dietary supplement science, including the safety, efficacy and research associated with the supplemental use of vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals and herbs.” It is geared toward natural product retailers, healthcare professionals or any profession that involves the use or sale of dietary supplements.

“HCHS’s goals are to provide students with a comprehensive education in dietary supplement science, including the safety, efficacy and research associated with the supplemental use of vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals and herbs, ultimately enabling graduates to function in real-world environments where such information is vital,” said Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, Dean of Academics.

He went on to note that the school also offers curriculum for the following academic programs which include varying levels of education in dietary supplement science: diploma in Comprehensive Nutrition (6-course undergraduate program), Diploma in Dietary Supplement Science (6-course undergraduate program), Associate of Science Degree in Applied Nutrition, Bachelor of Health Science Degree in Nutrition, and Master of Science Degree in Nutrition.

“The Diploma in Dietary Supplement Science certainly has a special focus in dietary supplement science. The Bachelor’s Degree program also features extensive course work in dietary supplement science,” he said.

Among the most popular supplement related courses are “Vitamins & Minerals,” “Introduction to Nutraceuticals,” and “Introduction to Herbal Sciences.” In addition, the school’s three most popular nutrition courses also provide “significant” segments in dietary supplement science.

“In the past few decades, research on dietary supplements has increased exponentially,” said Mr. Bruno. “Solid data now exist to support the value in ongoing supplementation for wellness and a myriad of health concerns. Since more than 50% of the U.S. population uses dietary supplements, it is vital that healthcare professionals become educated about this topic so they can counsel patients appropriately in the safe and effective use of these products.”

This year, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Science unveiled a Master of Applied Natural Products part time master’s degree program. “The industry is changing and one of my personal goals is to teach students where to find information as it is rapidly changing and learning the main theoretical concepts and how to apply the change in knowledge,” said Lana Dvorkin-Camiel, director of the MANP program.

The program was borne out of Ms. Dvorkin-Camiel’s own decade-long personal interest in natural products. “As I have been creating programs for the undergraduate curriculum, I started seeing the interest from students was growing,” she said. “Students would come back after graduation, asking if there were any opportunities for certificate programs or anything similar to that in this area and so we started developing more diverse courses in this area.

“It all came together with the support of administration and with the realization that the industry is growing and that the concepts are not generally taught in required pharmacy or healthcare curriculum,” she continued. “You have more students that are probably practicing right now who have a very strong understanding of conventional medicine yet they want to expand their horizons. They want to know more and they want to understand how to apply the knowledge from applied natural products. The knowledge and research is there, or at least coming out, and a lot of students have been asking questions.”

The curriculum offers several different courses to its target audience, which primarily consists of healthcare providers who are currently practicing in medicine, pharmacy, dietetic science and nursing. “We are teaching them how to expand their horizons, how to see and apply the knowledge and other disciplines, such as natural products, informatics and safety,” said Ms. Dvorkin-Camiel. “Looking at different aspects of the field, we’re helping them bring all of these aspects together to make intelligent and efficacious decisions.”

She said the students have embraced the program because it features instruction from a variety of practitioners and clinicians such as pharmocognocists, chemists, pharmacologists, naturopathic physicians, MDs and herbalists.

The course spans five semesters. Currently, students get together two days a week, for a total of six hours each week. But beginning in Fall 2008 the program delivery will change. “We had many inquiries into the possibility of doing the program online,” noted Ms. Dvorkin-Camiel. “We are switching the program to a hybrid, blended format which means that our students will come on campus for roughly five days each semester for hands-on ‘intensives’ that will amount to about 40 hours of training. The rest of the time will be spent completing the program online. This opens the program to a wider audience of people who had expressed an interest.”

Dietary supplements are but one component of the course curriculum, which also spans concepts related to healthier lifestyles, prevention and learning how to prevent chronic illnesses, how to eat and live better, with more exercise and stress management routines. “It’s a different, more philosophical approach to the problems society is dealing with,” said Ms. Dvorkin-Camiel. “We have a childhood epidemic in obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes—all of these problems that patients are dealing with and as healthcare providers we should be there to help them treat these problems.

She continued, “It’s incredibly important to teach students how to catch this early on and to prevent a number of different illnesses from developing. One of the bigger messages for our students is to counsel their patients and to be much more proactive in their approach.”

Fortunately for the supplement industry and its consumers, that kind of forward thinking seems to be catching on for students and healthcare practitioners, and it’s helping carve out an even more vital place for supplements within the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.