A cross-sectional survey on the attitudes of future pharmacists towards phytotherapeutic product use and safety

Phytotherapeutic products, widely used in both traditional and modern healthcare systems, are often mistakenly considered risk-free due to their natural origin. However, these products can pose significant safety risks, especially in the absence of adequate education among future healthcare providers. This study aimed to assess Turkish pharmacy students’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the safe use of herbal products. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 274 pharmacy students at İnönü University, Türkiye. The study employed a 57-item validated Likert-scale instrument measuring four factors: frequent usage scenarios, safety and regulation, herbal product handling practices, and risk perceptions with professional attitudes.Findings revealed that only 26.3% of participants had prior education on herbal products, yet 85% expressed strong interest in receiving such education. Gender differences were statistically significant in three factors, with male students scoring higher in common use, regulatory knowledge, and risk perception. Age was not a discriminating factor. Notably, fourth-year students showed a significant drop in risk perception scores compared to other academic years, suggesting a curricular gap during clinical preparation. Students with prior education scored significantly higher in the domain of risk awareness.The overall scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .908). These results emphasize a pressing need for structured, evidence-based phytotherapy education within pharmacy curricula, particularly during critical transition phases like the fourth academic year. Addressing misconceptions around the inherent safety of natural products and improving students' ability to counsel patients effectively on herbal medicine use is essential for ensuring medication safety and informed decision-making in pharmacy practice.