Pharmacists should help tackle vitamin D deficiency, PAGB meeting hears

Dear readers
It is unfortunate that among some of us as professionals, we have different thinking in advancing our insights into what we practice.I am a pharmacist with very deep understanding about odd topics in health, among others vitamin D is one. Knowing that this is a big issue in health matters, I personally wrote to PJ editor this year in may(201100) stating that I am very interested to start writing educative and informative articles about vitamin D deficiency since it is a global health problem, where many factors subject UK to be among the most affected countries. The PJ editor answered me that they were not interested in this topic. I felt that this was not correct. I just kept quiet. Now this is being raised at top level. There is no single individual in this country with sufficient D level unless the person has a unique behavior in relation to the source of Vitamin D or taking high dose of vitamin D as a supplement. There are so many controversial issues about this right from risk group factors, interpreting blood test results, dosing, resourcing and leave alone advice. It has been a public health matter to advice for protection against the sun since early eighties. Pharmacists as front line scientists were to counsel on sunscreens/sunblocks. Now Pharmacists are to shift positions in advice to patients to counter vitamin D deficiency. This is a big challenge where our role has to understood clearly and well supported by the competent authorities in regards to this matter. Well am well armed with useful knowledge to put this clear at any level. Vitamin D issue shouldn't only be looked at for bone health, it is beyond that. I think there are so many relevant research papers day in and day out about this subject, which makes it so easy to deepen one's understanding. I am willing to work with any team to advance the understanding for health benefits and remedy the problems. By the way there is already a call for action world wide for optimum range of vitamin D level to be 40-60 nanogram/ml which is an equivalent of 100-150 nanomol/litre
I am willing to answer any question about this subject within my competence
Thanks
Dr.John Osuku-Opio