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Some 20% to 40% of children and adolescents seen in outpatient settings use complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), including more than half with chronic, recurrent, and incurable conditions. Among teenagers who use CAM, almost 75% use herbs and other dietary supplements. Many do so to improve body image or athletic performance. In one study, almost 10% of adolescents reported simultaneous use of supplements and prescription medications (J Adolesc Health 2006; 38:385).
In early February, the New York State Attorney General's office accused Walmart, Walgreens, Target, and GNC of selling herbal supplements that contain little more than fillers and none of the ingredients listed on the label; some products also contained substances that …