ACP has observed in some community pharmacies that homeopathic products are not being labelled or displayed as described in the Standards for the Operation of Licensed Pharmacies (SOLP). The SOLP require that drugs are displayed and advertised independently of homeopathic products by means of physical separation or signage such that a member of the public can easily distinguish drugs in the pharmacy from homeopathic products.
The separation and distinction between the two types of products are important because homeopathic products don’t require the same level of evidence that’s required of drugs. When drugs and homeopathic products are side by side, members of the public may not realize that there are important differences. It’s also common for homeopathic products to have similar packaging to drugs, which makes it even more difficult for members of the public to distinguish between the two.
The requirement to have homeopathic products labelled and displayed properly helps members of the public make informed decisions about their health.
While the best practice to accomplish this would be to physically separate homeopathic products from drugs, shelf signage may also be appropriate if the labelling and/or signage is
- prominently displayed and easily noticeable,
- regularly maintained to ensure it remains clear to the public what is being displayed, and
- clearly associated with a specific product.
In other words, having a general shelf label or sign that indicates there may be homeopathic products in an area is NOT acceptable unless all products in that section are homeopathic and the section is clearly defined. If homeopathic products are mixed with drugs, then each homeopathic product must be separately labelled with a separate sign or label (clearly associated with that specific product) that indicates the product is homeopathic.
Remember, the label and/or signage must be displayed prominently enough that anyone buying the product is aware it is homeopathic.
