GAO Calls for More Regulation of Supplements

But alternative medicine, like allopathic medicine, is based on a balance of risk and benefit, Dr. Riley pointed out. Still, herbal preparations are generally more benign than prescription medications. “I think it's important that people don't assume that 'natural' products are 100% safe, but the risks are still very low,” he said.

'There is no way of really knowing for certain what you're getting' when you buy a dietary supplement. DR. ALTMAN