Pharmacists' Chamber tells pharmacies to drop 'quantum' vitamin tests

Croatian pharmacies should stop using devices that claim to assess vitamin and mineral levels without scientific evidence, the Croatian Chamber of Pharmacists (HLJK) said this week.

The warning targets so-called quantum or bioresonance analysers, which manufacturers say can measure nutrient levels and organ function by reading electromagnetic signals from the body while a person holds a metal sensor.

But the Chamber says there is no reliable scientific proof that these devices work, and their results could mislead patients. A false reading might unnecessarily worry a healthy person, or worse, give false reassurance to someone with a real medical problem and delay a visit to the doctor.

"A pharmacist is a healthcare professional whose job is to help patients make good decisions about their health, not to sell them as many products as possible. People come to the pharmacy because they trust us, and we must protect that trust with knowledge," said Ana Soldo, president of the Croatian Chamber of Pharmacists.

The Chamber is particularly concerned about the practice of recommending and selling dietary supplements based on these measurements, calling it a commercial practice rather than pharmaceutical care.

The Professional Society of Pharmacies of the Association of Employers in Health (UPUZ-HR) also warned that results from such devices must not be treated as diagnostic findings and cannot replace standard laboratory tests. The association said it has no official data on how many Croatian pharmacies organise such measurements, as no central record exists.

The Chamber urged pharmacies not to conduct or allow these measurements on their premises, and called on authorities to regulate the practice and increase oversight of advertising and quality of dietary supplements.

It also reminded the public that dietary supplements are foods, not medicines, and do not undergo the same approval process for quality, effectiveness and safety. Excessive intake can lead to unwanted effects, including vitamin or mineral overdoses and interactions with medications. The Chamber advised buying supplements only from trusted sources and cautioned against online purchases from unknown sellers outside the EU.